DeltaQueen Relies on Friends in 2022 - Page 5
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Discussie2022 Category Challenge
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1DeltaQueen50
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Welcome to my fifth thread of 2022. My name is Judy and I live in Delta, a suburb of Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. My husband and I are senior citizens, living a quiet life. We have two daughters that live fairly close, two son-in-laws and two grandchildren, all of whom we love dearly. I have participated in the Category Challenge for a good number of years as it suits my reading, I enjoy the preparation and planning and, I can’t resist a good challenge! The best part of the Category Challenge is that I have made some excellent friends here along the way.
As both friends and books have gotten me through some tough times, I am happy to be continuing on with my theme of “Friendship”. Friends have brought laughter, excitement, companionship and fun to my life, and indeed, the same things can be said about the books I have read. My Category Challenge is about friendship with each category being named after the members of a famous friendship. I have 16 categories and I hope to read 10 books for 14 of them. I also have an Alphabet Category for which I will read 24 – 26 books leaving my final category for books that don’t fit elsewhere and graphic novels. My categories are listed below with a short explanation of why I am using that particular friendship for my challenge. My reading is quite varied so be ready for some odd pairings!
I believe that friends and reading make everything better and they are needed in ones' life no matter what our age. Putting friends and books together, makes for good conversation and happy times.
_______________
I fear that I might just about be there!!
Welcome to my fifth thread of 2022. My name is Judy and I live in Delta, a suburb of Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. My husband and I are senior citizens, living a quiet life. We have two daughters that live fairly close, two son-in-laws and two grandchildren, all of whom we love dearly. I have participated in the Category Challenge for a good number of years as it suits my reading, I enjoy the preparation and planning and, I can’t resist a good challenge! The best part of the Category Challenge is that I have made some excellent friends here along the way.
As both friends and books have gotten me through some tough times, I am happy to be continuing on with my theme of “Friendship”. Friends have brought laughter, excitement, companionship and fun to my life, and indeed, the same things can be said about the books I have read. My Category Challenge is about friendship with each category being named after the members of a famous friendship. I have 16 categories and I hope to read 10 books for 14 of them. I also have an Alphabet Category for which I will read 24 – 26 books leaving my final category for books that don’t fit elsewhere and graphic novels. My categories are listed below with a short explanation of why I am using that particular friendship for my challenge. My reading is quite varied so be ready for some odd pairings!
I believe that friends and reading make everything better and they are needed in ones' life no matter what our age. Putting friends and books together, makes for good conversation and happy times.
_______________
I fear that I might just about be there!!
2DeltaQueen50
2022 CATEGORIES
A. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson: This duo is responsible for solving many a tricky mystery, and their friendship is deeper and more lasting that what appears on the surface. These two are much better together than on their own. I will use this category for my crime stories and mysteries.
B. Starsky & Hutch: Two streetwise police partners that protected each other and the public while keeping the streets of Bay City safe. This TV show was one of the first buddy cop action shows. I will place my crime series/police procedurals here.
C. Nick and Nora Charles: Friends, lovers and partners, this married duo solves the crimes and keeps their audience smiling the whole way through. Dashiell Hammett created a lasting duo with his Thin Man series but, for me, the films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy were sheer perfection and better than the books. Vintage mysteries will be located in this category with particular attention being given to the H. R. Keating List of 100 Best Crime Novels
D. Elizabeth and Jane Bennet: Sisters and best friends, this relationship is one of the reasons why I love Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice so much. They support and encourage each other each step of the way towards finding their own happy endings. A perfect place for my historical fiction reading most of which will be based on the Reading Through Time monthly/quarterly topics.
E. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger: These three young wizards formed an unbreakable bond of friendship while at the Hogwarts School. Battling the evil Voldemort helped to strengthen their bonds, even though they didn’t always agree on everything. My fantasy reading will be placed here.
F. Godzilla and King Kong: Well these two are not exactly friends but they often appear together in film and their epic battles leave humanity caught in the middle. As co-stars and combatants these two scary creatures are the duo that I am going to use for my horror, dystopia and darker fantasies.
G. Captain James Kirk and Mr Spock: The contrast between the passionate and headstrong Kirk and the cool, logical Mr. Spock was compelling. These strong characters kept the Universe safe and made Star Trek a television science fiction classic. My science fiction reading will be placed here.
H. Chuck Noland and Wilson: In the movie Castaway, Fedex systems analyst Chuck Noland ends up on a deserted island in the South Pacific. His only companion was Wilson, a soccer ball. Strange as it seems, his friendship and conversations with Wilson kept him sane. Both because Noland travelled all over the world for his job and because of the exotic setting of the film Castaway, this category will be for global reading.
I. Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Cristina Yang: These two met on the televised medical drama Grey’s Anatomy and forged an unbreakable friendship. Becoming each other’s “person” they stood by each other and helped each other through every life crisis that they faced. They particularly helped each other through their romantic dilemmas which were improved by their dark humor and competitive natures. Stories of romance and love will be placed here.
J. Trixie Belden and Honey Wheeler: My childhood role models as to what friends can be to each other, Trixie and Honey met as young pre-teens and the friendly, outgoing Trixie was exactly what the lonely, sheltered rich girl, Honey needed and vice versa. They went on to have many adventures together along with their brothers and I eagerly gobbled up each one. My YA and children’s literature will be placed here.
K. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Together through good times and bad, this legendary duo robbed banks, evaded capture and lived the good life – until they didn’t. Remembered today mostly from the 1969 film which highlighted their camaraderie. I will place my western reading here.
L. Patience and Foritude, New York’s literary lions: These well known and well loved marble statues grace the entrance to the library at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, New York City. They have become well known mascots to libraries everywhere. I have an extremely long library list and this will be the place where some of the books that have been on my list for some time will be placed.
M. Lucy and Ethel: No last names needed, these BFFs have brightened our lives since the 1950s and can still be found on TV reruns today. Their friendship and their television program is a classic so this is where my 1,001 Books to Read Before You Die will be placed.
N. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler: Two real life best friends who have each other’s back, protect each other’s privacy and know how to have fun with each other. This seems like the perfect place for a variety of women authors
O. Calvin and Hobbes: Before they branched out into books, calendars, mugs, etc. this famous duo brightened our comic strip reading for years as young Calvin and his stuffed Tiger tickled our funny bone with their antics and observations. I can picture Hobbes helping Calvin to learn his ABCs so this will be where I place the books I read for the Alphabet Challenge. As I don’t want to have to purchase a book to read for this category, I might be giving the letters X & Z the year off.
P. Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey and Ross – Friends: This television show is the standard bearer of shows about friends. We followed the lives of these six singles for ten years and it became one of the most popular television shows of all time – all built around the theme of friendship. This group of assorted friends will be the place I put any books that don’t fit anywhere else in my Challenge along with any graphic novels that I read during the year.
A. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson: This duo is responsible for solving many a tricky mystery, and their friendship is deeper and more lasting that what appears on the surface. These two are much better together than on their own. I will use this category for my crime stories and mysteries.
B. Starsky & Hutch: Two streetwise police partners that protected each other and the public while keeping the streets of Bay City safe. This TV show was one of the first buddy cop action shows. I will place my crime series/police procedurals here.
C. Nick and Nora Charles: Friends, lovers and partners, this married duo solves the crimes and keeps their audience smiling the whole way through. Dashiell Hammett created a lasting duo with his Thin Man series but, for me, the films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy were sheer perfection and better than the books. Vintage mysteries will be located in this category with particular attention being given to the H. R. Keating List of 100 Best Crime Novels
D. Elizabeth and Jane Bennet: Sisters and best friends, this relationship is one of the reasons why I love Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice so much. They support and encourage each other each step of the way towards finding their own happy endings. A perfect place for my historical fiction reading most of which will be based on the Reading Through Time monthly/quarterly topics.
E. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger: These three young wizards formed an unbreakable bond of friendship while at the Hogwarts School. Battling the evil Voldemort helped to strengthen their bonds, even though they didn’t always agree on everything. My fantasy reading will be placed here.
F. Godzilla and King Kong: Well these two are not exactly friends but they often appear together in film and their epic battles leave humanity caught in the middle. As co-stars and combatants these two scary creatures are the duo that I am going to use for my horror, dystopia and darker fantasies.
G. Captain James Kirk and Mr Spock: The contrast between the passionate and headstrong Kirk and the cool, logical Mr. Spock was compelling. These strong characters kept the Universe safe and made Star Trek a television science fiction classic. My science fiction reading will be placed here.
H. Chuck Noland and Wilson: In the movie Castaway, Fedex systems analyst Chuck Noland ends up on a deserted island in the South Pacific. His only companion was Wilson, a soccer ball. Strange as it seems, his friendship and conversations with Wilson kept him sane. Both because Noland travelled all over the world for his job and because of the exotic setting of the film Castaway, this category will be for global reading.
I. Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Cristina Yang: These two met on the televised medical drama Grey’s Anatomy and forged an unbreakable friendship. Becoming each other’s “person” they stood by each other and helped each other through every life crisis that they faced. They particularly helped each other through their romantic dilemmas which were improved by their dark humor and competitive natures. Stories of romance and love will be placed here.
J. Trixie Belden and Honey Wheeler: My childhood role models as to what friends can be to each other, Trixie and Honey met as young pre-teens and the friendly, outgoing Trixie was exactly what the lonely, sheltered rich girl, Honey needed and vice versa. They went on to have many adventures together along with their brothers and I eagerly gobbled up each one. My YA and children’s literature will be placed here.
K. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Together through good times and bad, this legendary duo robbed banks, evaded capture and lived the good life – until they didn’t. Remembered today mostly from the 1969 film which highlighted their camaraderie. I will place my western reading here.
L. Patience and Foritude, New York’s literary lions: These well known and well loved marble statues grace the entrance to the library at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, New York City. They have become well known mascots to libraries everywhere. I have an extremely long library list and this will be the place where some of the books that have been on my list for some time will be placed.
M. Lucy and Ethel: No last names needed, these BFFs have brightened our lives since the 1950s and can still be found on TV reruns today. Their friendship and their television program is a classic so this is where my 1,001 Books to Read Before You Die will be placed.
N. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler: Two real life best friends who have each other’s back, protect each other’s privacy and know how to have fun with each other. This seems like the perfect place for a variety of women authors
O. Calvin and Hobbes: Before they branched out into books, calendars, mugs, etc. this famous duo brightened our comic strip reading for years as young Calvin and his stuffed Tiger tickled our funny bone with their antics and observations. I can picture Hobbes helping Calvin to learn his ABCs so this will be where I place the books I read for the Alphabet Challenge. As I don’t want to have to purchase a book to read for this category, I might be giving the letters X & Z the year off.
P. Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey and Ross – Friends: This television show is the standard bearer of shows about friends. We followed the lives of these six singles for ten years and it became one of the most popular television shows of all time – all built around the theme of friendship. This group of assorted friends will be the place I put any books that don’t fit anywhere else in my Challenge along with any graphic novels that I read during the year.
3DeltaQueen50
2022 Tickers
Total Books Read
Pages Read
Books Read From My Shelf
Total Books Read
Pages Read
Books Read From My Shelf
4DeltaQueen50
How I Rate Books:
I am not a professional book critic nor do I consider myself to be an expert on literary standards, my reviews are based on my reaction to the book and the opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings.
2.0 ★: I must have been dragged, kicking and screaming, to finish this one!
2.5 ★: Below Average but I finished the book for one reason or another probably due to sheer stubborness!
3.0 ★: Slightly below average, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember
3.5 ★: Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.
4.0 ★: A Good read and I enjoyed my time spent with this story - this will be an author I return to.
4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book that touched me and gave me an emotional reaction. This is a book that I will remember and recommend
5.0 ★: Sheer perfection, the right book at the right time for me
I use decimal points to further clarify my thoughts about the book, therefore you will see books rated 3.8 to show it was better than a 3.5 but not quite a 4.0; etc. These small adjustments help me to remember how a book resonated with me
I am not a professional book critic nor do I consider myself to be an expert on literary standards, my reviews are based on my reaction to the book and the opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings.
2.0 ★: I must have been dragged, kicking and screaming, to finish this one!
2.5 ★: Below Average but I finished the book for one reason or another probably due to sheer stubborness!
3.0 ★: Slightly below average, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember
3.5 ★: Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.
4.0 ★: A Good read and I enjoyed my time spent with this story - this will be an author I return to.
4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book that touched me and gave me an emotional reaction. This is a book that I will remember and recommend
5.0 ★: Sheer perfection, the right book at the right time for me
I use decimal points to further clarify my thoughts about the book, therefore you will see books rated 3.8 to show it was better than a 3.5 but not quite a 4.0; etc. These small adjustments help me to remember how a book resonated with me
5DeltaQueen50
Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge - COMPLETED
1. A book with a main character whose name starts with A, T, or Y: Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
2. A book connected to a book you read in 2021: Incurable by John Marsden
3. A book with 22 or more letters in the title: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
4. A book that fits a prompt that did not make this list: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
5. A book by an author with two sets of double letters in their name: Mojave by Johnny Boggs
6. A book with an image of a source of light on the cover: The Raffle Baby by Ruth Talbot
7. A book set in or about Australia: Dust Off the Bones by Paul Howarth
8. Three Books set on different Continents: Book 1 - Europe: To the Back of Beyond by Peter Stamm
9. Three Books set on different Continents: Book 2 - Asia: The Court Dancer by Kyung-sook Shin
10. Three Books set on different Continents: Book 3 - Africa: The Good Braider by Terry Farish
11. A book from the genre of historical fiction: Goodbye, Piccadilly by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
12. A book related to glass: The Empty Glass by J. I. Baker
13. A book about a woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and maths): The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
14. A book with fewer than 5000 ratings on Good Reads: Black Alibi by Cornell Woolrich
15. A book without a person on the cover: Before the Poison by Peter Robinson
16. A book related to Earth Day: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
17. A book from NPR’s Book Concierge: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
18. A book by an Asian or Pacific Islander: Real World by Natsuo Kirino
19. A book that involves alternative reality, alternative worlds, alternative history: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
20. A fiction or non-fiction book that is set between 1900 - 1951: The Norths Meet Murder by Frances Lockridge
21. A book with one of the Monopoly tokens on the cover: Traitor's Purse by Margery Allingham
22. A book with a Jewish character or author: Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger
23. A book that features a loving LGBTQIA relationship This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
24. A book related to inclement weather: Cold by John Smolens
25. A book less than 220 pages or more that 440 pages: Rendezvous in Black by Cornell Woolrich
26. Two books with the same word in the title - Book 1: The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks
27. Two books with the same word in the title - Book 2: The Blood Road by Stuart MacBride
28. A book that won an award from Powell's list of book awards: Beloved by Toni Morrison
29. A book set on or near a body of water: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
30. A book related to mythology: The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
31. A book published at least 10 years ago: Only One Life by Sara Blaedel
32. A book where the main character is a female detective/private eye/police officer: Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante
33. The next book in a series: Collecting Cooper by Paul Cleave
34. A book with an academic setting or with a teacher that plays an important role: Village School by Miss Read
35. Two books, one related to flora - Book 1: An Ecology of Enchantment by Des Kennedy
36. Two books, one related to fauna - Book 2: Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest by David Moskowitz
37. A book that uses all 5 vowels (a,e,i,o,u) in the title or author's name: Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold
38. A book by a Latin American author: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez
39. A book from the TIME List of 100 Best YA Books of All Time: Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
40. A book related to one of the 22 Major Arcana cards of the Tarot: Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
41. A book with a theme of food or drink: Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
42. A book with a language or nationality in the title: English Creek by Ivan Doig
43. A book set in a small town or rural area: Pop. 1280 by Jim Thompson
44. A book with gothic elements: Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe
45. A book related to a game: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters: Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill
47. A book with hand writing on the cover: Little Bee by Chris Cleave
48. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Books of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022: Conviction by Denise Mina
49. A book connected to the phrase, "Here (There) be Dragons": The Dragon Man by Garry Disher
50. A book that involves aging or a character in their golden years: Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey
51. A book published in 2022: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
52. A book with a time related word in the title: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
6DeltaQueen50
Historical Fiction Challenge - COMPLETED
1. Set in the country you're from: The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe
2. Set in a different country: Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
3. Set in your favourite historical period: World War I - Goodbye, Piccadilly by Cynthia Harrod- Eagles
4. Set in period you're less familiar with: Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (Cuban Revolution)
5. Historical fiction with a speculative element: Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss
6. About a real historical figure or a specific event: City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin
7. A classic work of historical fiction: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Bonus: a work of historical fiction of over 500 pages: The Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Taylor Bradford
1. Set in the country you're from: The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe
2. Set in a different country: Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
3. Set in your favourite historical period: World War I - Goodbye, Piccadilly by Cynthia Harrod- Eagles
4. Set in period you're less familiar with: Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (Cuban Revolution)
5. Historical fiction with a speculative element: Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss
6. About a real historical figure or a specific event: City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin
7. A classic work of historical fiction: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Bonus: a work of historical fiction of over 500 pages: The Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Taylor Bradford
7DeltaQueen50
Sherlock Holmes & Dr. John Watson - Crime Stories/Mysteries
Books Read
1. Evil Things by Katja Ivar - 4.0 ★
2. The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer - 3.3 ★
3. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger - 4.3 ★
4. Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand - 5.0 ★
5. The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks - 3.4 ★
6. Cold by John Smolens - 3.0 ★
7. The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson - 4.0 ★
8. The End of Everything by Megan Abbott - 4.2 ★
9. Knock, Knock! Who's There? by James Hadley Chase - 4.0 ★
10. Conviction by Denise Mina - 4.3 ★
COMPLETED
11. Bad Axe County by John Galligan - 4.1 ★
Books Read
1. Evil Things by Katja Ivar - 4.0 ★
2. The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer - 3.3 ★
3. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger - 4.3 ★
4. Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand - 5.0 ★
5. The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks - 3.4 ★
6. Cold by John Smolens - 3.0 ★
7. The Darkness by Ragnar Jonasson - 4.0 ★
8. The End of Everything by Megan Abbott - 4.2 ★
9. Knock, Knock! Who's There? by James Hadley Chase - 4.0 ★
10. Conviction by Denise Mina - 4.3 ★
COMPLETED
11. Bad Axe County by John Galligan - 4.1 ★
8DeltaQueen50
Starsky and Hutch - Crime Series and Police Procedurals
Books Read
1. Collecting Cooper by Paul Cleave - 4.2 ★
2. Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir - 3.5 ★
3. The Cold Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty - 4.0 ★
4. Only One Life by Sara Blaedel - 3.6 ★
5. The Blood Road by Stuart MacBride - 4.2 ★
6. Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart - 4.0 ★
7. Bloodline by Mark Billingham - 3.8 ★
8. Eeny Meeny by M J Arlidge - 3.7 ★
9. The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood - 3.8 ★
10. Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante - 4.1 ★
COMPLETED
11. Want You Dead by Peter James - 4.0 ★
Books Read
1. Collecting Cooper by Paul Cleave - 4.2 ★
2. Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir - 3.5 ★
3. The Cold Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty - 4.0 ★
4. Only One Life by Sara Blaedel - 3.6 ★
5. The Blood Road by Stuart MacBride - 4.2 ★
6. Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart - 4.0 ★
7. Bloodline by Mark Billingham - 3.8 ★
8. Eeny Meeny by M J Arlidge - 3.7 ★
9. The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood - 3.8 ★
10. Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante - 4.1 ★
COMPLETED
11. Want You Dead by Peter James - 4.0 ★
9DeltaQueen50
Nick & Nora Charles - Vintage Crime
Books Read
1. Home Sweet Homicide by Craig Rice - 4.0 ★
2. Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert - 4.0 ★
3. The Norths Meet Murder by Frances Lockridge - 4.0 ★
4. Pop. 1280 by Jim Thompson - 4.5 ★
5. Black Alibi by Cornell Woolrich - 3.8 ★
6. Bedelia by Vera Caspary - 4.5 ★
7. Three-Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie - 4.2 ★
8. Traitor's Purse by Margery Allingham - 4.0 ★
9. Rendezvous in Black by Cornell Woolrich - 4.2 ★
10. Kiss Your Elbow by Alan Handley - 4.0 ★
COMPLETED
11. In The Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy Sayers - 3.7 ★
12. Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe - 3.8 ★
Books Read
1. Home Sweet Homicide by Craig Rice - 4.0 ★
2. Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert - 4.0 ★
3. The Norths Meet Murder by Frances Lockridge - 4.0 ★
4. Pop. 1280 by Jim Thompson - 4.5 ★
5. Black Alibi by Cornell Woolrich - 3.8 ★
6. Bedelia by Vera Caspary - 4.5 ★
7. Three-Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie - 4.2 ★
8. Traitor's Purse by Margery Allingham - 4.0 ★
9. Rendezvous in Black by Cornell Woolrich - 4.2 ★
10. Kiss Your Elbow by Alan Handley - 4.0 ★
COMPLETED
11. In The Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy Sayers - 3.7 ★
12. Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe - 3.8 ★
10DeltaQueen50
Elizabeth & Jane Bennet - Historical Fiction
: Books for this category will mostly be from the Reading Through Time Monthly and Quarterly Challenges
Books Read
1. English Creek by Ivan Doig - 4.3 ★
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald - 4.0 ★
3. Dust Off the Bones by Paul Howarth - 4.5 ★
4. Village School by Miss Read - 4.2 ★
5. The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - 3.0 ★
6. Goodbye, Piccadilly by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - 4.2 ★
7. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell - 4.6 ★
8. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton - 3.3 ★
9. Under the Harvest Moon by Sophie Lynbrook - 3.8 ★
10. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy - 4.2 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper - 4.3 ★
12. Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss - 3.8 ★
13. The Empty Glass by J. E. Baker - 3.0 ★
: Books for this category will mostly be from the Reading Through Time Monthly and Quarterly Challenges
Books Read
1. English Creek by Ivan Doig - 4.3 ★
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald - 4.0 ★
3. Dust Off the Bones by Paul Howarth - 4.5 ★
4. Village School by Miss Read - 4.2 ★
5. The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - 3.0 ★
6. Goodbye, Piccadilly by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - 4.2 ★
7. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell - 4.6 ★
8. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton - 3.3 ★
9. Under the Harvest Moon by Sophie Lynbrook - 3.8 ★
10. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy - 4.2 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper - 4.3 ★
12. Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss - 3.8 ★
13. The Empty Glass by J. E. Baker - 3.0 ★
11DeltaQueen50
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley & Hermione Granger - Fantasy
Books Read
1. The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac by Sharma Shields - 3.0 ★
2. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - 4.0 ★
3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown - 4.5 ★
4. Horses of Heaven by Gillian Bradshaw - 3.8 ★
5. Belle by Cameron Dokey - 3.6 ★
6. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - 5.0 ★
7. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis - 4.3 ★
8. Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.0 ★
9. Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier - 3.0 ★
10. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - 4.1 ★
COMPLETED
Books Read
1. The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac by Sharma Shields - 3.0 ★
2. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - 4.0 ★
3. Red Rising by Pierce Brown - 4.5 ★
4. Horses of Heaven by Gillian Bradshaw - 3.8 ★
5. Belle by Cameron Dokey - 3.6 ★
6. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - 5.0 ★
7. The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis - 4.3 ★
8. Legacy by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.0 ★
9. Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier - 3.0 ★
10. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - 4.1 ★
COMPLETED
12DeltaQueen50
Godzilla & King Kong - Dark Fantasy & Apocalyptic Stories
Books Read
1. The Road to Woodbury by Robert Kirkman - 3.3 ★
2. Kill Creek by Scott Thomas - 2.0 ★
3. Arachnoid by Michael Cole - 3.0 ★
4. The Infection by Craig Dilouie - 3.4 ★
5. Miao Dao by Joyce Carol Oates - 4.0 ★ and The Grownup by Gillian Flynn - 4.0 ★
6. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson - 4.0 ★
7. A History of the Future by James Howard Kunstler
8. The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz - 3.8 ★
9. The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn - 3.5 ★
10. The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James - 4.3 ★
COMPLETED
11. Ghost Run by J. L. Bourne - 4.0 ★
12. Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne - 3.3 ★
Books Read
1. The Road to Woodbury by Robert Kirkman - 3.3 ★
2. Kill Creek by Scott Thomas - 2.0 ★
3. Arachnoid by Michael Cole - 3.0 ★
4. The Infection by Craig Dilouie - 3.4 ★
5. Miao Dao by Joyce Carol Oates - 4.0 ★ and The Grownup by Gillian Flynn - 4.0 ★
6. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson - 4.0 ★
7. A History of the Future by James Howard Kunstler
8. The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz - 3.8 ★
9. The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn - 3.5 ★
10. The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James - 4.3 ★
COMPLETED
11. Ghost Run by J. L. Bourne - 4.0 ★
12. Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne - 3.3 ★
13DeltaQueen50
Captain James Kirk & Mr. Spock - Science Fiction
Books Read
1. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice - 5.0 ★
2. The Girl, The Gold Watch and Everything by John D. MacDonald - 4.0 ★
3. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal - 3.6 ★
4. The Old Man and the Wasteland by Nick Cole - 4.5 ★
5. Contact by Sean Platt - 3.3 ★
6. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.0 ★
7. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi - 4.2 ★
8. The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson - 4.0 ★
9. This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone - 3.5 ★
10. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill - 4.2 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman - 3.4 ★
Books Read
1. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice - 5.0 ★
2. The Girl, The Gold Watch and Everything by John D. MacDonald - 4.0 ★
3. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal - 3.6 ★
4. The Old Man and the Wasteland by Nick Cole - 4.5 ★
5. Contact by Sean Platt - 3.3 ★
6. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.0 ★
7. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi - 4.2 ★
8. The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson - 4.0 ★
9. This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone - 3.5 ★
10. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill - 4.2 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman - 3.4 ★
14DeltaQueen50
Chuck Noland and Wilson (Castaway) - Global Reading
Books Read
1. To the Back of Beyond by Peter Stamm (Switzerland) - 4.0 ★
2. The Court Dancer by Kyung-sook Shin (Korea) - 3.0 ★
3. Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti) - 4.1 ★
4. The Dragon Man by Garry Disher (Australia) - 4.0 ★
5. The Good Braider by Terry Farish (Sudan/Egypt) - 4.0 ★
6. City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin (Germany) - 5.0 ★
7. Real World by Natsuo Kirino (Japan) - 3.4 ★
8. Where the Air is Sweet by Tasneem Jamal (Uganda) - 4.2 ★
9. The Lost History of the Stars by Dave Boling (South Africa) - 3.8 ★
10. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig (Burma/Myanmar) - 3.2 ★
COMPLETED
Books Read
1. To the Back of Beyond by Peter Stamm (Switzerland) - 4.0 ★
2. The Court Dancer by Kyung-sook Shin (Korea) - 3.0 ★
3. Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti) - 4.1 ★
4. The Dragon Man by Garry Disher (Australia) - 4.0 ★
5. The Good Braider by Terry Farish (Sudan/Egypt) - 4.0 ★
6. City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin (Germany) - 5.0 ★
7. Real World by Natsuo Kirino (Japan) - 3.4 ★
8. Where the Air is Sweet by Tasneem Jamal (Uganda) - 4.2 ★
9. The Lost History of the Stars by Dave Boling (South Africa) - 3.8 ★
10. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig (Burma/Myanmar) - 3.2 ★
COMPLETED
15DeltaQueen50
Meridith Grey & Christina Yang - Romance and Love Stories
Books Read
1. It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas - 3.8 ★
2. Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev - 3.8 ★
3. On The Way To The Wedding by Julia Quinn - 3.7 ★
4. Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh - 3.7 ★
5. Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp - 4.0 ★
6. The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas - 4.0 ★
7. The Ravenscar Dynasty - Barbara Taylor Bradford - 3.2 ★
8. The Ungrateful Governess by Mary Balogh -2.5 ★
9. The Duke's Wager by Edith Layton - 3.8 ★
Books Read
1. It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas - 3.8 ★
2. Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev - 3.8 ★
3. On The Way To The Wedding by Julia Quinn - 3.7 ★
4. Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh - 3.7 ★
5. Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp - 4.0 ★
6. The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas - 4.0 ★
7. The Ravenscar Dynasty - Barbara Taylor Bradford - 3.2 ★
8. The Ungrateful Governess by Mary Balogh -2.5 ★
9. The Duke's Wager by Edith Layton - 3.8 ★
16DeltaQueen50
Trixie Belden & Honey Wheeler - YA and Children's Literature
Books Read
1. Blood Feud by Rosemary Sutcliff - 3.8 ★
2. Incurable by John Marsden - 3.8 ★
3. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera - 5.0 ★
4. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez - 3.0 ★
5. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson - 4.3 ★
6. The Grace Year by Kim Liggett - 3.7 ★
7. This is Our Story by Ashley Elston - 3.7 ★
8. Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah - 4.5 ★
9. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare - 4.2 ★
10. The Dogs by Allan Stratton - 3.8 ★
COMPLETED
11. Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson - 5.0 ★
Books Read
1. Blood Feud by Rosemary Sutcliff - 3.8 ★
2. Incurable by John Marsden - 3.8 ★
3. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera - 5.0 ★
4. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez - 3.0 ★
5. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson - 4.3 ★
6. The Grace Year by Kim Liggett - 3.7 ★
7. This is Our Story by Ashley Elston - 3.7 ★
8. Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah - 4.5 ★
9. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare - 4.2 ★
10. The Dogs by Allan Stratton - 3.8 ★
COMPLETED
11. Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson - 5.0 ★
17DeltaQueen50
Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid - Stories of the American West
Books Read
1. The Chains of Sarai Stone by Cynthia Haseloff - 3.5 ★
2. Desperate Crossing by Barbara Riefe - 3.0 ★
3. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles - 4.2 ★
4. Mojave by Johnny D. Boggs - 3.7 ★
5. Cloudy in the West by Elmer Kelton - 3.8 ★
6. A Wagon Train For Brides by Kent Conwell - 3.8 ★
7. West Like the Lightning by Jim DeFelice - 3.8 ★
8. Pony Express by Harriet Cade - 3.7 ★
9. Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird - 5.0 ★
Books Read
1. The Chains of Sarai Stone by Cynthia Haseloff - 3.5 ★
2. Desperate Crossing by Barbara Riefe - 3.0 ★
3. Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles - 4.2 ★
4. Mojave by Johnny D. Boggs - 3.7 ★
5. Cloudy in the West by Elmer Kelton - 3.8 ★
6. A Wagon Train For Brides by Kent Conwell - 3.8 ★
7. West Like the Lightning by Jim DeFelice - 3.8 ★
8. Pony Express by Harriet Cade - 3.7 ★
9. Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird - 5.0 ★
18DeltaQueen50
Patience & Fortitude, New York's Literary Lions - Library Loans
Books Read
1. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles - 5.0 ★
2. Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey - 5.0 ★
3. An Ecology of Enchantment by Des Kennedy - 4.2 ★
4. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - 3.3 ★
5. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - 5.0 ★
6. History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund - 3.3 ★
7. Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui - 4.0 ★
8. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy - 4.2 ★
9. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli - 4.5 ★
10. The Untold by Courtney Collins - 4.5 ★
COMPLETED
11. 419 by Will Ferguson - 4.2 ★
12. Little Deaths by Emma Flint - 5.0 ★
Books Read
1. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles - 5.0 ★
2. Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey - 5.0 ★
3. An Ecology of Enchantment by Des Kennedy - 4.2 ★
4. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - 3.3 ★
5. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - 5.0 ★
6. History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund - 3.3 ★
7. Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui - 4.0 ★
8. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy - 4.2 ★
9. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli - 4.5 ★
10. The Untold by Courtney Collins - 4.5 ★
COMPLETED
11. 419 by Will Ferguson - 4.2 ★
12. Little Deaths by Emma Flint - 5.0 ★
19DeltaQueen50
Lucy & Ethel - Classics, Books from the 1,001 List
Books Read
1. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - 4.0 ★
2. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse - 3.4 ★
3. Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant - 4.0 ★
4. The Crow Road by Iain Banks - 4.2 ★
5. Red Harvest by Dashiel Hammett - 3.8 ★
6. Beloved by Toni Morrison - 4.0 ★
7. The Wars by Timothy Findley - 4.5 ★
8. Excellent Women by Barbara Pyn - 4.2 ★
9. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson - 3.8 ★
10. Hell by Henri Barbusse - 2.2 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - 4.0 ★
12. The Circle by Dave Eggers - 3.4 ★
13. Who Do You Think You Are? by Alice Munro - 4.2 ★
14. Franny And Zooey by J. D. Salinger - 3.0 ★
15. The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon - 3.8 ★
16. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - 4.0 ★
17. The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong'o - 4.0 ★
18. Willard and his Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan - 3.6 ★
19. Amok by Stefan Zweig - 4.0 ★
20. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann - 3.7 ★
Books Read
1. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - 4.0 ★
2. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse - 3.4 ★
3. Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant - 4.0 ★
4. The Crow Road by Iain Banks - 4.2 ★
5. Red Harvest by Dashiel Hammett - 3.8 ★
6. Beloved by Toni Morrison - 4.0 ★
7. The Wars by Timothy Findley - 4.5 ★
8. Excellent Women by Barbara Pyn - 4.2 ★
9. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson - 3.8 ★
10. Hell by Henri Barbusse - 2.2 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - 4.0 ★
12. The Circle by Dave Eggers - 3.4 ★
13. Who Do You Think You Are? by Alice Munro - 4.2 ★
14. Franny And Zooey by J. D. Salinger - 3.0 ★
15. The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon - 3.8 ★
16. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - 4.0 ★
17. The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong'o - 4.0 ★
18. Willard and his Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan - 3.6 ★
19. Amok by Stefan Zweig - 4.0 ★
20. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann - 3.7 ★
20DeltaQueen50
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler - Women Authors
Books Read
1. The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent - 3.8 ★
2. Wonderful Tonight by Patti Boyd & Penny Junior - 3.8 ★
3. In Bitter Chill by Sarah Ward - 3.8 ★
4. The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn - 3.0 ★
5. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson - 5.0 ★
6. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende - 4.5 ★
7. Galina Petrovna's Three-Legged Dog Story by Andrea Bennett - 4.0 ★
8. The Raffle Baby by Ruth Talbot - 4.0 ★
9. Spam Tomorrow by Verily Anderson - 4.0 ★
10. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah - 4.5 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan - 4.1 ★
12. The Thirteen by Susie Moloney - 3.8 ★
13. Gun Love by Jennifer Clement - 4.0 ★
14. The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit - 4.0 ★
Books Read
1. The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent - 3.8 ★
2. Wonderful Tonight by Patti Boyd & Penny Junior - 3.8 ★
3. In Bitter Chill by Sarah Ward - 3.8 ★
4. The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn - 3.0 ★
5. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson - 5.0 ★
6. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende - 4.5 ★
7. Galina Petrovna's Three-Legged Dog Story by Andrea Bennett - 4.0 ★
8. The Raffle Baby by Ruth Talbot - 4.0 ★
9. Spam Tomorrow by Verily Anderson - 4.0 ★
10. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah - 4.5 ★
COMPLETED
11. The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan - 4.1 ★
12. The Thirteen by Susie Moloney - 3.8 ★
13. Gun Love by Jennifer Clement - 4.0 ★
14. The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit - 4.0 ★
21DeltaQueen50
Calvin & Hobbs - The Alphabet
Books Read
A Missing by Karin Alvtegen - 4.2 ★
B Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham - 4.2 ★
C Little Bee by Chris Cleave - 4.5 ★
D The Devil's Closet by Stacy Dittrich - 2.0 ★
E The Horizontal Man by Helen Eustis - 3.7 ★
F The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan - 4.0 ★
G
H Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer - 4.0 ★
I Madensky Square by Eva Ibbotson - 3.2 ★
J Where All Light Tends To Go by David Joy - 4.0 ★
K Never Cross A Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky - 4.0 ★
L The False Inspector Dew by Peter Lovesey - 5.0 ★
M One Monday We Killed Them All by John D. MacDonald - 3.5 ★
N November Road by Lou Berney - 5.0 ★
O When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka - 4.0 ★
P Bloody January by Alan Parks - 4.0 ★
Q Calamity Town by Ellery Queen - 4.2 ★
R Before the Poison by Peter Robinson - 4.5 ★
S My Friend Maigret by Georges Simenon - 3.8 ★
T Flight of the Phoenix by Elleston Trevor - 4.0 ★
U The Sands of Windee by Arthur W. Upfield - 3.7 ★
V The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe - 4.5 ★
W
Y
Books Read
A Missing by Karin Alvtegen - 4.2 ★
B Five Roundabouts to Heaven by John Bingham - 4.2 ★
C Little Bee by Chris Cleave - 4.5 ★
D The Devil's Closet by Stacy Dittrich - 2.0 ★
E The Horizontal Man by Helen Eustis - 3.7 ★
F The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan - 4.0 ★
G
H Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer - 4.0 ★
I Madensky Square by Eva Ibbotson - 3.2 ★
J Where All Light Tends To Go by David Joy - 4.0 ★
K Never Cross A Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky - 4.0 ★
L The False Inspector Dew by Peter Lovesey - 5.0 ★
M One Monday We Killed Them All by John D. MacDonald - 3.5 ★
N November Road by Lou Berney - 5.0 ★
O When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka - 4.0 ★
P Bloody January by Alan Parks - 4.0 ★
Q Calamity Town by Ellery Queen - 4.2 ★
R Before the Poison by Peter Robinson - 4.5 ★
S My Friend Maigret by Georges Simenon - 3.8 ★
T Flight of the Phoenix by Elleston Trevor - 4.0 ★
U The Sands of Windee by Arthur W. Upfield - 3.7 ★
V The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe - 4.5 ★
W
Y
22DeltaQueen50
Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey & Ross - Friends -Everything Else
Books Read
1. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot - 5.0 ★
2. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson - 3.7 ★
3. Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest by David Moskowitz- 4.0 ★
4. Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain - 4.0 ★
5. Lady Killer, Volume 1 by Joelle Jones - 4.0 ★
Lady Killer, Volume 2 by Joelle Jones - 4.0 ★
6. The Aspern Papers by Henry James - 3.8 ★
7. Canadian Christmas Traditions by DeeAnn Mandryk - 3.5 ★
Books Read
1. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot - 5.0 ★
2. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson - 3.7 ★
3. Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest by David Moskowitz- 4.0 ★
4. Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain - 4.0 ★
5. Lady Killer, Volume 1 by Joelle Jones - 4.0 ★
Lady Killer, Volume 2 by Joelle Jones - 4.0 ★
6. The Aspern Papers by Henry James - 3.8 ★
7. Canadian Christmas Traditions by DeeAnn Mandryk - 3.5 ★
23DeltaQueen50
2022 Reading Plans
: January - Hosting MysteryKit
: May - Hosting ScaredyKit
: June - Hosting Reading Through Time
: August - Hosting AuthorCat
: September - Hosting CatWoman
: October - Hosting ScaredyKit
: November - Hosting AuthorCat
: November - Hosting CatWoman
: December - Hosting Reading Through Time
: January - Hosting MysteryKit
: May - Hosting ScaredyKit
: June - Hosting Reading Through Time
: August - Hosting AuthorCat
: September - Hosting CatWoman
: October - Hosting ScaredyKit
: November - Hosting AuthorCat
: November - Hosting CatWoman
: December - Hosting Reading Through Time
25DeltaQueen50
149. Conviction by Denise Mina - 4.3 ★
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson
Around the Year in 52 Books: A book posted in one of the ATY Best Books of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022
I found Conviction by Denise Mina an addictive, fun read. It follows Anna, a discarded wife who on the day her husband dumps her for her best friend is suddenly put in jeopardy as her past identity becomes known. This sets her off on a collision course with her arch enemy. She is accompanied by ex-rock star Fin Cohen, the husband of her best friend who has also been cast aside, as her jittery, anorexic companion.
On the fateful morning, Anna starts listening to a real life murder podcast and realizes that she knows the victim who was killed along with his two children in the sinking of a yacht. She also knows, hates and fears the victim’s wife, Gretchen, who has a murder contract out on her. Her husband then informs her that he is leaving with her best friend and taking their daughters on a short vacation. As she and Fin sit outside sympathizing with each other, a neighbour spots the famous Fin and takes a picture. The picture is posted on-line and almost immediately people start to recognize Anna and her past story is brought back for all to examine. Anna has tried running away and hiding from the past and now she decides to confront the issues both surrounding herself and the mysterious death of her friend. She and Fin set off to visit various witnesses and sites, and along the way, they start to make their own podcast, one that they hope will reveal the truth.
Conviction is a wild and bumpy ride as Anna and Finn travel across Europe, trying to avoid the various vicious contract killers that have been set upon her. In typical Denise Mina style, the book is an edgy, funny, slightly over-the-top thriller that totally sucked me in. I suspect this complex and original story is one that the reader would either love or hate. Luckily I was delightfully surprised by all the mayhem and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson
Around the Year in 52 Books: A book posted in one of the ATY Best Books of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022
I found Conviction by Denise Mina an addictive, fun read. It follows Anna, a discarded wife who on the day her husband dumps her for her best friend is suddenly put in jeopardy as her past identity becomes known. This sets her off on a collision course with her arch enemy. She is accompanied by ex-rock star Fin Cohen, the husband of her best friend who has also been cast aside, as her jittery, anorexic companion.
On the fateful morning, Anna starts listening to a real life murder podcast and realizes that she knows the victim who was killed along with his two children in the sinking of a yacht. She also knows, hates and fears the victim’s wife, Gretchen, who has a murder contract out on her. Her husband then informs her that he is leaving with her best friend and taking their daughters on a short vacation. As she and Fin sit outside sympathizing with each other, a neighbour spots the famous Fin and takes a picture. The picture is posted on-line and almost immediately people start to recognize Anna and her past story is brought back for all to examine. Anna has tried running away and hiding from the past and now she decides to confront the issues both surrounding herself and the mysterious death of her friend. She and Fin set off to visit various witnesses and sites, and along the way, they start to make their own podcast, one that they hope will reveal the truth.
Conviction is a wild and bumpy ride as Anna and Finn travel across Europe, trying to avoid the various vicious contract killers that have been set upon her. In typical Denise Mina style, the book is an edgy, funny, slightly over-the-top thriller that totally sucked me in. I suspect this complex and original story is one that the reader would either love or hate. Luckily I was delightfully surprised by all the mayhem and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
27dudes22
Happy New Thread, Judy!
>25 DeltaQueen50: - I had intended to read this for the Alpha Kit last month but didn't get to it. Sounds like a book I'd like.
>25 DeltaQueen50: - I had intended to read this for the Alpha Kit last month but didn't get to it. Sounds like a book I'd like.
30MissWatson
Welcome back and happy new thread, Judy!
31BLBera
Happy new thread, Judy. I love the friendship theme.
>25 DeltaQueen50: I need to read something by Mina. I think I would like her books.
>25 DeltaQueen50: I need to read something by Mina. I think I would like her books.
32DeltaQueen50
Happy Saturday, everyone. Other than some grocery shopping and taking my granddaughter to the stables I have no plans for today so hopefully will get lots of reading in. As usual I have made too many reading plans for the month but I will roll up my sleeves and give it my best effort! I never thought that I would get to place in life where my biggest chore would be to read!!!
>26 humouress: Thanks, Nina.
>27 dudes22: Hi Betty. I got the feeling that Mina wrote Conviction with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. I thought it was great!
>28 msf59: Hi Mark, now that I have my thread updated, I will be doing the rounds and catching up with everyone else. I am looking forward to catching up with your reading, your birding and most of all, your gorgeous grandson!
>29 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.
>30 MissWatson: Thanks Birgit. It was lovely to see my family but it's also lovely to be back home surrounded by my books!
>31 BLBera: Hi Beth. I am a huge fan of Denise Mina but I do think you would enjoy her as well.
>26 humouress: Thanks, Nina.
>27 dudes22: Hi Betty. I got the feeling that Mina wrote Conviction with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. I thought it was great!
>28 msf59: Hi Mark, now that I have my thread updated, I will be doing the rounds and catching up with everyone else. I am looking forward to catching up with your reading, your birding and most of all, your gorgeous grandson!
>29 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.
>30 MissWatson: Thanks Birgit. It was lovely to see my family but it's also lovely to be back home surrounded by my books!
>31 BLBera: Hi Beth. I am a huge fan of Denise Mina but I do think you would enjoy her as well.
33pamelad
>25 DeltaQueen50: Conviction was so much lighter than Denise Mina's other books. I've liked all of her books but was relieved that Conviction was such an easy read.
35SandyAMcPherson
>32 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy. I'm intrigued with your reference to stables.
I wondered whereabouts the place is, in Delta, perhaps...
Do they offer beginner lessons to children? Or are these private stables where your grandchildren board horses?
I wondered whereabouts the place is, in Delta, perhaps...
Do they offer beginner lessons to children? Or are these private stables where your grandchildren board horses?
36DeltaQueen50
>33 pamelad: Mina certainly kept Conviction from the dark side. I felt that she wrote this with a sly sense of humor and was able to deliver a unique story that although was rather unbelievable, still managed to totally draw me in.
>34 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer. Although we were just beginning to sense Autumn in the air, we are now experiencing a lot of smoke from the various wild fires in Southern B.C. and Northern Washington State. Yuck!!
>35 SandyAMcPherson: My granddaughter started riding lessons when she was about 10 and has stayed involved in the horse world. On Saturdays she teaches a beginners class in horse management and stable maintenance at a riding stable near us called Heron Bay. This is the stable that she was taught at so, yes, they do offer beginner's riding classes starting at a young age. She still rides a couple of times a week but at a different stable in Delta called Westwind Stables. She doesn't own a horse but does share the cost of keeping a horse with it's owner which gives her the chance to ride whenever she wants. Delta obviously is good horse country as there are a number of riding stables and boarding locations here.
>34 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer. Although we were just beginning to sense Autumn in the air, we are now experiencing a lot of smoke from the various wild fires in Southern B.C. and Northern Washington State. Yuck!!
>35 SandyAMcPherson: My granddaughter started riding lessons when she was about 10 and has stayed involved in the horse world. On Saturdays she teaches a beginners class in horse management and stable maintenance at a riding stable near us called Heron Bay. This is the stable that she was taught at so, yes, they do offer beginner's riding classes starting at a young age. She still rides a couple of times a week but at a different stable in Delta called Westwind Stables. She doesn't own a horse but does share the cost of keeping a horse with it's owner which gives her the chance to ride whenever she wants. Delta obviously is good horse country as there are a number of riding stables and boarding locations here.
37LadyoftheLodge
Hi Judy and Happy New Thread! I always enjoy your graphics. I picked up a Kindle copy of Spam Tomorrow and look forward to it, along with several e-books I picked up that are about Queen Elizabeth II. I guess I can't get enough of reading about that great lady. I am also anxious for some new books about King Charles III. I decided to invest my Charlie kitty with the new title of King Charles the Dickens in honor of the new king. The kitty is already growing into the part quite well and has become quite demanding.
38DeltaQueen50
>37 LadyoftheLodge: I hope you enjoy Spam Tomorrow, Cheryl. Hooray for King Charles the Dickens, although I suspect he has been living the life of a king for some time. I have read quite a few books about Queen Elizabeth II over the years and I was just thinking about the Netflix series "The Crown". It's going to be quite poignant to watch the new season when it is released.
39DeltaQueen50
150. The Duke's Wager by Edith Layton - 3.8 ★
Category: Meredith Grey & Christina Yang
September TIOLI #10: Title Includes Part of the Name of a Well Known University
The Duke’s Wager by Edith Layton is a historical romance that was originally published in 1983. Upon the death of her uncle, the young, middle class Regina Berryman finds herself in a difficult position. She is too well educated for most jobs and too well brought up to become the mistress of a wealthy man.
She finds herself caught between two men, a Duke and a Marquis both vying for her favors. She has no intention of giving herself to either, yet she can’t help the feelings that one of these men rouse in her. With plenty of twists and turns the plot plays out as all three main characters have life lessons to learn. With themes of honor and trust, the author skilfully guides Regina to the one who truly loves and respects her.
I enjoyed The Duke’s Wager in that it wasn’t quite as predictable as most historical romances can be. There isn’t much to admire in either of the two men at the beginning of the book, one is openly trying to corrupt Regina, while the other is doing the same but quietly behind her back. Neither man cares what Regina wants or needs, but then, slowly over the course of the story, as they get to know her, their attitudes change and love, respect, honor and trust come into play.
Category: Meredith Grey & Christina Yang
September TIOLI #10: Title Includes Part of the Name of a Well Known University
The Duke’s Wager by Edith Layton is a historical romance that was originally published in 1983. Upon the death of her uncle, the young, middle class Regina Berryman finds herself in a difficult position. She is too well educated for most jobs and too well brought up to become the mistress of a wealthy man.
She finds herself caught between two men, a Duke and a Marquis both vying for her favors. She has no intention of giving herself to either, yet she can’t help the feelings that one of these men rouse in her. With plenty of twists and turns the plot plays out as all three main characters have life lessons to learn. With themes of honor and trust, the author skilfully guides Regina to the one who truly loves and respects her.
I enjoyed The Duke’s Wager in that it wasn’t quite as predictable as most historical romances can be. There isn’t much to admire in either of the two men at the beginning of the book, one is openly trying to corrupt Regina, while the other is doing the same but quietly behind her back. Neither man cares what Regina wants or needs, but then, slowly over the course of the story, as they get to know her, their attitudes change and love, respect, honor and trust come into play.
40SandyAMcPherson
>36 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for this info. Have no idea whether it is feasible for the granddaughter, but it's a lead to explore.
41PaulCranswick
Happy quite new thread, dear Judy.
>1 DeltaQueen50: Putting friends and books together is a great sentiment and I must do better to pay more regular visits to the former!
Spent the weekend in surprised shock and mourning for a Queen I hadn't realized I felt so strongly attached to. Brought to my mind my late mother and grandmother both of whom were convinced Royalists and gave me warm feelings towards the King, as just like he, I grieve anew for a mother.
>1 DeltaQueen50: Putting friends and books together is a great sentiment and I must do better to pay more regular visits to the former!
Spent the weekend in surprised shock and mourning for a Queen I hadn't realized I felt so strongly attached to. Brought to my mind my late mother and grandmother both of whom were convinced Royalists and gave me warm feelings towards the King, as just like he, I grieve anew for a mother.
42DeltaQueen50
>40 SandyAMcPherson: I hope your granddaughter finds a stable that will fill her needs.
>41 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I am also surprised by my feelings over the death of the Queen. I too, am reminded of my mother who passed away in May of this year. I know Charles isn't a favorite of most people but I truly do believe he will continue on much as his mother did. There is a feeling of continuity in seeing the new King taking his place. I also will try to make a point of visiting you more often - I did notice at the TIOLI Challenges we are both planning on reading The Lonely Londoners this month, I probably won't get to it until later but I look forward to comparing notes.
>41 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I am also surprised by my feelings over the death of the Queen. I too, am reminded of my mother who passed away in May of this year. I know Charles isn't a favorite of most people but I truly do believe he will continue on much as his mother did. There is a feeling of continuity in seeing the new King taking his place. I also will try to make a point of visiting you more often - I did notice at the TIOLI Challenges we are both planning on reading The Lonely Londoners this month, I probably won't get to it until later but I look forward to comparing notes.
43DeltaQueen50
151. Madensky Square by Eva Ibbotson - 3.2 ★
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
September AlphaKit: I
September TIOLI #13: Set in the 20th Century
Eva Ibbotson is known for her charming tales of romance set in a simpler time and place and Madensky Square certainly seems to follow this format. Set in Vienna just before World War I, she details the daily life in and around the small Madensky Square. But if one looks a little closer you’ll find that her observations reveal the darker side of life as well.
The main character, Susanna Weber is known as the fashion designer and seamstress of choice as she produces elegant clothes for the women of Vienna. Her profession gives her open access to a number of lives and she becomes the matchmaker, comforter, confidante and lover. While we, the readers, are aware of the upcoming war that will change their lives forever, Susanna and her friends are more concerned with the daily events in the idyllic Madensky Square.
I actually found Madensky Square to be rather dark and depressing. The secret lives and hidden actions of Susanna and her neighbours were slightly distasteful. Many of Susanna’s friends and, indeed, Susanna herself, are the lovers of married men. Their wives are treated with disdain and mockery and beauty seems to be the goal. Beauty in appearance, clothing or surroundings were important but internal beauty was dismissed. While the writing was light and her descriptions were gorgeous, this story just didn’t have the charm I was expecting.
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
September AlphaKit: I
September TIOLI #13: Set in the 20th Century
Eva Ibbotson is known for her charming tales of romance set in a simpler time and place and Madensky Square certainly seems to follow this format. Set in Vienna just before World War I, she details the daily life in and around the small Madensky Square. But if one looks a little closer you’ll find that her observations reveal the darker side of life as well.
The main character, Susanna Weber is known as the fashion designer and seamstress of choice as she produces elegant clothes for the women of Vienna. Her profession gives her open access to a number of lives and she becomes the matchmaker, comforter, confidante and lover. While we, the readers, are aware of the upcoming war that will change their lives forever, Susanna and her friends are more concerned with the daily events in the idyllic Madensky Square.
I actually found Madensky Square to be rather dark and depressing. The secret lives and hidden actions of Susanna and her neighbours were slightly distasteful. Many of Susanna’s friends and, indeed, Susanna herself, are the lovers of married men. Their wives are treated with disdain and mockery and beauty seems to be the goal. Beauty in appearance, clothing or surroundings were important but internal beauty was dismissed. While the writing was light and her descriptions were gorgeous, this story just didn’t have the charm I was expecting.
44LadyoftheLodge
>38 DeltaQueen50: King Charles the Dickens says that you are quite an astute observer and thanks you for your kind remarks.
The Duke's Wager sounds and looks like a book I read in the past. I was quite addicted to these kinds of romance novels and sometimes read one or two a day during the summer break from school teaching. They are still fun to read and a number of them exist on my shelves.
The Duke's Wager sounds and looks like a book I read in the past. I was quite addicted to these kinds of romance novels and sometimes read one or two a day during the summer break from school teaching. They are still fun to read and a number of them exist on my shelves.
45LadyoftheLodge
>41 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, and thanks for your comments about the Queen, whom I also miss and grieve for. I have been a Royal follower since I was a child. I also appreciate your comments about our mothers. I think of my mother often--she died at a young age--and also miss my mother-in-law, whom I got to know and love for just a few months before she passed away at the age of 96. My photo of her looks a bit like Queen Elizabeth II.
46VivienneR
Happy new thread, Judy!
I'm another grieving for the Queen. I've always thought highly of her and knew this day would come. I'm confident that King Charles will do a good job, he has become more relaxed over the years.
Glad you enjoyed Spam Tomorrow. I have it on my wishlist - reading that will last longer that me.
I'm another grieving for the Queen. I've always thought highly of her and knew this day would come. I'm confident that King Charles will do a good job, he has become more relaxed over the years.
Glad you enjoyed Spam Tomorrow. I have it on my wishlist - reading that will last longer that me.
47pamelad
>39 DeltaQueen50: I started an Edith Layton binge with The Duke's Wager and it's still my favourite. Two others worth trying are The Abandoned Bride and The Mysterious Heir. My criteria for an author binge are less about literary merit and more about the number of books available for free.
48PaulCranswick
>45 LadyoftheLodge: Thank you, Cheryl. It has become a time of remembrance, I guess hasn't it?
I see that you joined LT on my birthday which is interesting for me at the very least!
I see that you joined LT on my birthday which is interesting for me at the very least!
49humouress
>43 DeltaQueen50: That certainly doesn't sound like the few Ibbotson books that I've read though those are targeted at a younger audience and tend to involve nature and natural surroundings.
I, too, am feeling somewhat subdued after the passing of Her Majesty.
I, too, am feeling somewhat subdued after the passing of Her Majesty.
50LadyoftheLodge
>48 PaulCranswick: That is interesting! I joined LT when I was in Library School and the children's services prof required us to use Goodreads or LT to track our reading. My Thingaversary is your birthday!
51DeltaQueen50
>44 LadyoftheLodge: I used to read a lot of historical romances back in the day as well but I don't think I came across Edith Layton before. I've come back to reading some of these romances as they are light and easy to read, making them a nice break from more serious reads.
>46 VivienneR: Welcome to my newest thread, Vivienne. I am keeping my fingers crossed as my internet is acting up today and I keep getting bounced off. After a few minutes it comes back. I guess I need to call my server and see if perhaps I need a new router or something.
>47 pamelad: I think it was your thread that brought Edith Layton to my attention. I liked this book well enough and may possibly read more by her in the future.
>49 humouress: I was rather disappointed in this book as it certainly lacked the charm and romance of the other books by her that I have read. I loved The Secret Countess and The Star of Kazan and was hoping Madensky Square would be like them.
>46 VivienneR: Welcome to my newest thread, Vivienne. I am keeping my fingers crossed as my internet is acting up today and I keep getting bounced off. After a few minutes it comes back. I guess I need to call my server and see if perhaps I need a new router or something.
>47 pamelad: I think it was your thread that brought Edith Layton to my attention. I liked this book well enough and may possibly read more by her in the future.
>49 humouress: I was rather disappointed in this book as it certainly lacked the charm and romance of the other books by her that I have read. I loved The Secret Countess and The Star of Kazan and was hoping Madensky Square would be like them.
52DeltaQueen50
152. Never Cross A Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky - 4.0 ★
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
September AlphaKit: K
September TIOLI #10: Title Includes Part of the Name of a Well Known University
Never Cross A Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky is the 5th book in the Toby Peters series. Toby is a private eye who works in the Los Angeles area and many of his clients are connected to Hollywood. Currently he is working for Bela Lugosi who is being stalked and sent threatening messages. He is also contacted by a studio lawyer and asked to investigate murder charges that have been brought against author William Faulkner.
With plenty of humor and a fair amount of violence, the constantly injured Toby works his two cases by stirring things up to see what arises. He is successful but suddenly the two cases seem connected which makes no sense at all. Toby eventually puts the pieces together and exposes both the murderer and the stalker with very little help from his brother, a police lieutenant with anger issues.
The author fills his books with interesting characters, many of whom live on the fringes of Hollywood. In this outing, the real characters of Bella Lugosi and William Faulkner come across much as one would expect them to and Toby is a character who is easy to root for. I enjoyed this outing and look forward to the next one which, I believe is going to highlight one of my personal favorites - “super duper” Gary Cooper.
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
September AlphaKit: K
September TIOLI #10: Title Includes Part of the Name of a Well Known University
Never Cross A Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky is the 5th book in the Toby Peters series. Toby is a private eye who works in the Los Angeles area and many of his clients are connected to Hollywood. Currently he is working for Bela Lugosi who is being stalked and sent threatening messages. He is also contacted by a studio lawyer and asked to investigate murder charges that have been brought against author William Faulkner.
With plenty of humor and a fair amount of violence, the constantly injured Toby works his two cases by stirring things up to see what arises. He is successful but suddenly the two cases seem connected which makes no sense at all. Toby eventually puts the pieces together and exposes both the murderer and the stalker with very little help from his brother, a police lieutenant with anger issues.
The author fills his books with interesting characters, many of whom live on the fringes of Hollywood. In this outing, the real characters of Bella Lugosi and William Faulkner come across much as one would expect them to and Toby is a character who is easy to root for. I enjoyed this outing and look forward to the next one which, I believe is going to highlight one of my personal favorites - “super duper” Gary Cooper.
53DeltaQueen50
153. This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone - 3.5 ★
Category: Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock
Around the Year in 52 Books: A book that features a loving LGBTQIA relationship
September TIOLI #7: S is for Science Fiction
I feel that I never fully grasped or understood what was going on in This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. This is a novel of science fiction that had a unique concept and a distinct style but I did come to understand that the two main characters, Red and Blue, worked for separate warring empires, one called The Agency and the other The Garden. They travel back and forth through time, altering the history of multiple universes. At first they leave taunting messages to each other but gradually their letter writing develops into a flirtation and then love.
Although I never totally understood the book, I never considered giving up on this epistolary time travelling romance as I wanted to know where the story was going. The writing of this book deserves special mention as it is lyrical, vivid and captivating. Red and Blue start off as enemies and rivals but as their relationship develops they become a loving couple who appear to complete each other.
This Is How You Lose The Time War is an original and complex story and although these characters are not entirely or fully human they share a deep understanding and a strong commitment to each other and serve as one of the best illustrations of a same sex relationship that I have come across. I suspect this story of a beautiful yet dangerous love will linger in my mind for some time and I also suspect that this is a book that would continue to reveal itself in subsequent re-reads.
Category: Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock
Around the Year in 52 Books: A book that features a loving LGBTQIA relationship
September TIOLI #7: S is for Science Fiction
I feel that I never fully grasped or understood what was going on in This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. This is a novel of science fiction that had a unique concept and a distinct style but I did come to understand that the two main characters, Red and Blue, worked for separate warring empires, one called The Agency and the other The Garden. They travel back and forth through time, altering the history of multiple universes. At first they leave taunting messages to each other but gradually their letter writing develops into a flirtation and then love.
Although I never totally understood the book, I never considered giving up on this epistolary time travelling romance as I wanted to know where the story was going. The writing of this book deserves special mention as it is lyrical, vivid and captivating. Red and Blue start off as enemies and rivals but as their relationship develops they become a loving couple who appear to complete each other.
This Is How You Lose The Time War is an original and complex story and although these characters are not entirely or fully human they share a deep understanding and a strong commitment to each other and serve as one of the best illustrations of a same sex relationship that I have come across. I suspect this story of a beautiful yet dangerous love will linger in my mind for some time and I also suspect that this is a book that would continue to reveal itself in subsequent re-reads.
54cindydavid4
oh I loved that book! their solution to the problem they have is brillant and like you the writing really worked well here. I missed something, did not realilze this was a same sex love affair; guess I have to reread it again oh gosh darn. This book was one of a few that appealed to everyone. Curious if they are writing something else, should find out
55DeltaQueen50
>54 cindydavid4: Hi Cindy. I found the book intriguing although I didn't understand much of the time travel and what exactly Blue and Red were doing in the various battles. This book came to my attention when I read an article that praised how the same sex relationship played out although other than Blue and Red being labelled "she" there wasn't much attention given to whether they were females or not.
56mstrust
>52 DeltaQueen50: That one sounds fun!
57DeltaQueen50
>52 DeltaQueen50: I really enjoy this series, set in 1940s Hollywood and chock full of movie stars, the author delivers his stories with plenty of violence and humor. So far the movie stars have all come across pretty much how I would imagine they would be.
58DeltaQueen50
154. The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James - 4.5 ★
Category: Godzilla & King Kong
September ScaredyKit: It's All In Your Head
September TIOLI #9: Title Contains More Than 22 Letters
I thoroughly enjoyed The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James. This is a fascinating story about ghost hunting. Sarah Piper is sent by her employment agency to assist Alistair Gellis in his investigation into the spirit of Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Maddy hated men in her life and acts up if a man tries to communicate with her now. Sarah doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she finds herself confronting something that is both real and terribly angry in the barn. She also isn’t prepared for the arrival of Alistair's assistant, Matthew Ryder, whom she is immediately attracted to.
Set in the 1920s, both the men are veterans of World War I and have physical and mental scars. As they soon realize, Maddy’s ghost is no hoax and she is a threat to all three of the ghost hunters unless they agree to help her in her desire for vengeance. The Gothic nature of the story, the tense atmosphere and the dark plot line all contribute to making this a chilling read.
While the story is not particularly scary, the author supplies all the ingredients needed for a good ghost story. It seemed quite obvious to me what had happened to Maddy but the author took her time with the story and in developing the romance. This is the second Simone St. James supernatural thriller that I have read and I now count myself a fan of this author. I listened to an audio version of the book as read by Pamela Garelick who did a good job with the material.
Category: Godzilla & King Kong
September ScaredyKit: It's All In Your Head
September TIOLI #9: Title Contains More Than 22 Letters
I thoroughly enjoyed The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James. This is a fascinating story about ghost hunting. Sarah Piper is sent by her employment agency to assist Alistair Gellis in his investigation into the spirit of Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Maddy hated men in her life and acts up if a man tries to communicate with her now. Sarah doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she finds herself confronting something that is both real and terribly angry in the barn. She also isn’t prepared for the arrival of Alistair's assistant, Matthew Ryder, whom she is immediately attracted to.
Set in the 1920s, both the men are veterans of World War I and have physical and mental scars. As they soon realize, Maddy’s ghost is no hoax and she is a threat to all three of the ghost hunters unless they agree to help her in her desire for vengeance. The Gothic nature of the story, the tense atmosphere and the dark plot line all contribute to making this a chilling read.
While the story is not particularly scary, the author supplies all the ingredients needed for a good ghost story. It seemed quite obvious to me what had happened to Maddy but the author took her time with the story and in developing the romance. This is the second Simone St. James supernatural thriller that I have read and I now count myself a fan of this author. I listened to an audio version of the book as read by Pamela Garelick who did a good job with the material.
59DeltaQueen50
155. Under The Harvest Moon by Sophie Lynbrook - 3.8 ★
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
September Reading Through Time: Harvest Moon
September RandomCat: A Time To Harvest
September TIOLI #14: Rolling Challenge - Better Weather
Under The Harvest Moon by Sophie Lynbrook is variation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. In this version, Mr. Bingley has just moved to the neighbourhood and is hoodwinked by Mr. Bennet into holding the annual Harvest Dance. This dance is held outdoors, with food being served in one of the barns and it includes all classes of people who on this particular night mingle and dance with each other.
Bingley realizes that this dance will not appeal to either his sisters or his good friend, D’Arcy, so makes plans to avoid them attending. Of course things go awry and not only do they all show up on the day of the dance, they are followed closely by Lady Catherine de Bourgh with her daughter whom she wishes to marry to D’Arcy. She brings Mr. Collins along so that he can perform the wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, the Bennets arrive, looking forward to the dance and hopeful that Jane and Mr. Bingley will continue their attachment to each other. The stage is set and this light comedy of errors plays out against the backdrop of the full moon.
I enjoyed this story and was happy to be surrounded by the familiar characters of Pride and Prejudice. I felt sorry for Mr. Bingley as he tried to spend time with Jane Bennet but also tried to protect her and others from his two sisters and their sharp tongues. D’Arcy started out the evening by looking down his nose at the event but circumstances and the intriguing Elizabeth Bennet soon mellowed him.
Under The Harvest Moon was a light escapist read that this fan of the original relished.
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
September Reading Through Time: Harvest Moon
September RandomCat: A Time To Harvest
September TIOLI #14: Rolling Challenge - Better Weather
Under The Harvest Moon by Sophie Lynbrook is variation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. In this version, Mr. Bingley has just moved to the neighbourhood and is hoodwinked by Mr. Bennet into holding the annual Harvest Dance. This dance is held outdoors, with food being served in one of the barns and it includes all classes of people who on this particular night mingle and dance with each other.
Bingley realizes that this dance will not appeal to either his sisters or his good friend, D’Arcy, so makes plans to avoid them attending. Of course things go awry and not only do they all show up on the day of the dance, they are followed closely by Lady Catherine de Bourgh with her daughter whom she wishes to marry to D’Arcy. She brings Mr. Collins along so that he can perform the wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, the Bennets arrive, looking forward to the dance and hopeful that Jane and Mr. Bingley will continue their attachment to each other. The stage is set and this light comedy of errors plays out against the backdrop of the full moon.
I enjoyed this story and was happy to be surrounded by the familiar characters of Pride and Prejudice. I felt sorry for Mr. Bingley as he tried to spend time with Jane Bennet but also tried to protect her and others from his two sisters and their sharp tongues. D’Arcy started out the evening by looking down his nose at the event but circumstances and the intriguing Elizabeth Bennet soon mellowed him.
Under The Harvest Moon was a light escapist read that this fan of the original relished.
60mathgirl40
Happy new thread! I've been catching up with this and your previous thread and I was happy to see your review of Rendezvous in Black. Cornell Woolrich seems to me an underappreciated author.
61cindydavid4
>59 DeltaQueen50: If you liked The Harvest Moon, you might try pride and prometheus a take on P&P with Mary as the prominent character, along with a Frankenstein. Really interesting!
62DeltaQueen50
>60 mathgirl40: I am a hugh fan of Cornell Woolrich. He doesn't seem to be too well known today which does surprise me as he was a master at writing noir.
>61 cindydavid4: I will have to check Pride and Prometheus out. It's such a timeless story and seems to blend well with whatever they add to the original.
>61 cindydavid4: I will have to check Pride and Prometheus out. It's such a timeless story and seems to blend well with whatever they add to the original.
63DeltaQueen50
156. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy - 4.2 ★
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
Historical Fiction Challenge: A Classic Novel of Historical Fiction
September TIOLI #14: Rolling Challenge - Better Weather
I don’t know how I missed reading The Scarlet Pimpernel before now, but I am certainly glad that I finally picked it up. This was a fun swashbuckler of a story with Sir Percy Blakeney as the romantic hero who is saving French aristocrats from the guillotine. He keeps his identity a secret from everyone, including his beautiful French wife, Marguerite by playing at being a dimwitted fashionable fop who cares more about the cut of his jacket than in embarking on rescue missions.
Of course all great heroes need evil, dastardly villains to out-smart and in the French spy, Chauvelin, the Scarlet Pimpernel has an excellent foil. The book rewards the reader with suspense, romantic misunderstandings, and epic adventure.
Yes, the language is a little old-fashioned, there are a couple of cringe worthy slurs as well as a cartoon-like portrayal of a Jewish gentleman, and a somewhat dated attitude towards women but mostly I found the 1905 book, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy a wonderful piece of historical fiction.
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
Historical Fiction Challenge: A Classic Novel of Historical Fiction
September TIOLI #14: Rolling Challenge - Better Weather
I don’t know how I missed reading The Scarlet Pimpernel before now, but I am certainly glad that I finally picked it up. This was a fun swashbuckler of a story with Sir Percy Blakeney as the romantic hero who is saving French aristocrats from the guillotine. He keeps his identity a secret from everyone, including his beautiful French wife, Marguerite by playing at being a dimwitted fashionable fop who cares more about the cut of his jacket than in embarking on rescue missions.
Of course all great heroes need evil, dastardly villains to out-smart and in the French spy, Chauvelin, the Scarlet Pimpernel has an excellent foil. The book rewards the reader with suspense, romantic misunderstandings, and epic adventure.
Yes, the language is a little old-fashioned, there are a couple of cringe worthy slurs as well as a cartoon-like portrayal of a Jewish gentleman, and a somewhat dated attitude towards women but mostly I found the 1905 book, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy a wonderful piece of historical fiction.
64Helenliz
Happy new thread - not sure how I missed that!
The cartoon in >1 DeltaQueen50: made me snort in recognition.
>63 DeltaQueen50: They are a great series, you leave sense at the door and they a bundle of fun.
The cartoon in >1 DeltaQueen50: made me snort in recognition.
>63 DeltaQueen50: They are a great series, you leave sense at the door and they a bundle of fun.
65Tess_W
>63 DeltaQueen50: Love that book! Have read it 2-3 times.
66DeltaQueen50
>64 Helenliz: That cartoon totally resonated with me!
>65 Tess_W: I can't believe I somehow overlooked it all these years - especially as I love the 1934 movie starring Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon. I couldn't resist watching that movie again yesterday.
>65 Tess_W: I can't believe I somehow overlooked it all these years - especially as I love the 1934 movie starring Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon. I couldn't resist watching that movie again yesterday.
67VivienneR
>63 DeltaQueen50: I loved that book too! I have seen a number of versions on tv and the big screen since childhood so I knew the story well but still enjoyed the print version enormously.
68DeltaQueen50
>67 VivienneR: I thought that the language would be much more flowery than it was, it has held up well.
69DeltaQueen50
157. The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon - 3.8 ★
Category: Lucy & Ethel
September 1,001 Group Challenge - Random Letter - "L"
September TIOLI #5: One Person on Cover Who Is Looking Outwards
The Lonely Londoners is a 1956 novel by Trinidadian author Samuel Selvon and is about immigrant life in London. It’s focus is on the poor, working-class black people from the Caribbean who came to England after World War II for economic reasons. They came believing that England would offer opportunity, education and a better way of living but unfortunately what they found was prejudice, discrimination and a lack of good jobs and decent housing.
The novel is comprised of several inter-connected short stories about various West Indian characters and their experiences. Written in a colorful dialect that gives the book a sense of authenticity, the author captures their feelings of loneliness, isolation and alienation. As it was mostly male immigrants that came to London at this time, the characters in the book are mostly male and females are more-or-less peripheral characters.
The Lonely Londoners was interesting as it captured a particular perspective regarding the post-war influx of Caribbean immigrants, but I did find the various stories were too short for me to become fully attached to the characters. There is no real plot to speak of, as the book consists of loosely connected vignettes, but although quite dark I did find quite a bit of humor was used as well.
Category: Lucy & Ethel
September 1,001 Group Challenge - Random Letter - "L"
September TIOLI #5: One Person on Cover Who Is Looking Outwards
The Lonely Londoners is a 1956 novel by Trinidadian author Samuel Selvon and is about immigrant life in London. It’s focus is on the poor, working-class black people from the Caribbean who came to England after World War II for economic reasons. They came believing that England would offer opportunity, education and a better way of living but unfortunately what they found was prejudice, discrimination and a lack of good jobs and decent housing.
The novel is comprised of several inter-connected short stories about various West Indian characters and their experiences. Written in a colorful dialect that gives the book a sense of authenticity, the author captures their feelings of loneliness, isolation and alienation. As it was mostly male immigrants that came to London at this time, the characters in the book are mostly male and females are more-or-less peripheral characters.
The Lonely Londoners was interesting as it captured a particular perspective regarding the post-war influx of Caribbean immigrants, but I did find the various stories were too short for me to become fully attached to the characters. There is no real plot to speak of, as the book consists of loosely connected vignettes, but although quite dark I did find quite a bit of humor was used as well.
70BLBera
I'm another Scarlet Pimpernel fan, Judy. I read it years ago but remember it with fondness.
71DeltaQueen50
>70 BLBera: The Scarlet Pimpernel seems to be a favorite of many - I guess it's pretty obvious why it's still a classic read of historical fiction.
72christina_reads
I'm another who loves The Scarlet Pimpernel! I first saw the '80s TV movie starring Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour, and my copy of the book has a tie-in cover. Maybe I'll revisit the novel one of these days!
73DeltaQueen50
>72 christina_reads: I do remember liking the TV movie but for me, Leslie Howard is the Scarlet Pimpernel that I picture.
74DeltaQueen50
158. Kiss Your Elbow by Alan Handley - 4.0 ★
Category: Nick & Nora Charles
September TIOLI #5: One Person On Cover Who Is Looking Outwards
Kiss Your Elbow by Alan Handley was originally published in 1948 and is set in the acting world of New York City. When aspiring actor Tim Briscoe stumbles upon the body of his agent, Nellie, he is sure that she has been murdered. In a panic he grabs her appointment book and bolts. He flees to the arms of Maggie, a rich divorcee who dabbles in acting. Convinced that he will be the police’s number one suspect, Tim is surprised when Nellie’s death is dismissed as an accident.
Still convinced that Nellie was murdered, Tim, with some help from Maggie, continues to ask questions and look into Nellie’s past. He has obviously stirred something up as before too long he is the victim of a couple of murder attempts.
As the author was himself both a stage actor and a director his take on the theatrical world is of particular interest. There’s plenty of back stabbing and stage politics to keep things moving along. I enjoyed all the wise cracking comments and the romance between Tim and Maggie was well done. A slightly over-the-top ending was the icing on the cake and I thoroughly enjoyed this light and lively crime story.
Category: Nick & Nora Charles
September TIOLI #5: One Person On Cover Who Is Looking Outwards
Kiss Your Elbow by Alan Handley was originally published in 1948 and is set in the acting world of New York City. When aspiring actor Tim Briscoe stumbles upon the body of his agent, Nellie, he is sure that she has been murdered. In a panic he grabs her appointment book and bolts. He flees to the arms of Maggie, a rich divorcee who dabbles in acting. Convinced that he will be the police’s number one suspect, Tim is surprised when Nellie’s death is dismissed as an accident.
Still convinced that Nellie was murdered, Tim, with some help from Maggie, continues to ask questions and look into Nellie’s past. He has obviously stirred something up as before too long he is the victim of a couple of murder attempts.
As the author was himself both a stage actor and a director his take on the theatrical world is of particular interest. There’s plenty of back stabbing and stage politics to keep things moving along. I enjoyed all the wise cracking comments and the romance between Tim and Maggie was well done. A slightly over-the-top ending was the icing on the cake and I thoroughly enjoyed this light and lively crime story.
75pamelad
>74 DeltaQueen50: Sounds good, and I love the cover. Adding it to the wish list.
76christina_reads
>74 DeltaQueen50: BB for me too!
77DeltaQueen50
>75 pamelad: & >76 christina_reads: I hope you both enjoy Kiss Your Elbow - it was a book bullet for me as well from MsTrust.
78DeltaQueen50
159. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - 4.0 ★
Category: Lucy & Ethel
September TIOLI #7: S is for Science Fiction
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a dystopian story that is set in the very near future or in an alternative reality. Told in a series of anecdotes by Kathy in an earnest, conversational manner, we learn about the students and guardians at a school called Hailsham.
Although the students are taught very little about the outside world, spending their time with arts and crafts, sports and literature with the occasional mention of future “donations” that they will be expected to give, they do not seem to question their lives. Although for the reader, the purpose and fate of the characters wasn’t particularly cloaked in secrecy as the author inserted plenty of hints throughout the story for us to be well aware of the direction he was taking the book. Kathy and her friends grow from young children to young adults in the shelter of Hailsham, but upon leaving this sanctuary, they come to realize their purpose in life.
While I loved the writing and the ultimate shock value of the story, I don’t understand why there wasn’t more reaction to the horrible fate that was awaiting these young people. The characters in this alternate reality seem almost sheep-like in their bland acceptance. I was hoping that there would be some type of rebellion. This novel explores what it is to be human, and what value we put on life. It also raises questions about what is ethical science and what is not.
Category: Lucy & Ethel
September TIOLI #7: S is for Science Fiction
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a dystopian story that is set in the very near future or in an alternative reality. Told in a series of anecdotes by Kathy in an earnest, conversational manner, we learn about the students and guardians at a school called Hailsham.
Although the students are taught very little about the outside world, spending their time with arts and crafts, sports and literature with the occasional mention of future “donations” that they will be expected to give, they do not seem to question their lives. Although for the reader, the purpose and fate of the characters wasn’t particularly cloaked in secrecy as the author inserted plenty of hints throughout the story for us to be well aware of the direction he was taking the book. Kathy and her friends grow from young children to young adults in the shelter of Hailsham, but upon leaving this sanctuary, they come to realize their purpose in life.
While I loved the writing and the ultimate shock value of the story, I don’t understand why there wasn’t more reaction to the horrible fate that was awaiting these young people. The characters in this alternate reality seem almost sheep-like in their bland acceptance. I was hoping that there would be some type of rebellion. This novel explores what it is to be human, and what value we put on life. It also raises questions about what is ethical science and what is not.
79Tess_W
>159 DeltaQueen50: You liked this a little better than I. However, I also remarked in my review about the passivity of the characters.
80clue
>78 DeltaQueen50: I read this several years ago, but it's not in my LT library so I'll have to go through my spreadsheets and see if I can find it. I'd like to know because it still comes to my mind, it really made an impression on me.
As to why the clones didn't fight or run away, you can find some interesting discussions about it on the web. Generally most think it comes down to a society where there isn't knowledge of independence, espcially to clones who were literally born for death.
As to why the clones didn't fight or run away, you can find some interesting discussions about it on the web. Generally most think it comes down to a society where there isn't knowledge of independence, espcially to clones who were literally born for death.
81cindydavid4
>78 DeltaQueen50: I really hatedthis book. you are right they are all sheep like in acceptance, I wanted to know more about how this started, and yes why wasnt there a rebelllion (tho there maybe have been some long before which is why everyone is sheep like. Im mad at the character who was trying to show that clones had souls, but that didn't stop her from accepting their fate.
82DeltaQueen50
>79 Tess_W: >80 clue: & >81 cindydavid4: Sometimes it's difficult to review a book immediately after finishing it as the more you think about it, the greater the chance that your opinion will change. I suspect that this will be a book that I will be thinking about for some time. It didn't have the impact of The Handmaid's Tale fir me, but it was an interesting concept and one that I can all to well see coming about in our future. I do think that the passivity would have been more believable if they hadn't gone to such lengths to treat them as normal children and later when they had left school they were free to mingle with each other and travel so I don't understand why, as they grew more aware of the world around them and their purpose in it, there wasn't some type of resistence. If the author's purpose was to make his reader think - then he certainly achieved that!
83mstrust
>74 DeltaQueen50: >77 DeltaQueen50: I'm glad you liked it too, it's a fun story!
84DeltaQueen50
>83 mstrust: It was a fun story and I loved all the details about New York actors and their life.
85DeltaQueen50
160. The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood - 3.8 ★
Category: Starsky & Hutch
September TIOLI #10: Title Includes Part of the Name of a Well Known University
The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood is the 5th book in her Phryne Fisher mystery series. The book opens at the Green Mill Dancing establishment. Although there is a dance marathon going on, Phryne is just there for the evening. Accompanied by a rather lacklustre partner, Charles Freeman, who suddenly disappears when one of the marathon dancers falls dead to the floor.
It turns out that he has been stabbed in the heart by a very thin knife. Phryne is asked by Charles’ mother find and clear him of any charges, but also to track down his brother Victor, who has been living in the wilds after coming back from WW I scarred and shell-shocked. Phryne is kept busy with discovering who the murderer is as well as sorting out the two brothers. A big part of the story was about Phyrne’s solo flight from Melbourne to Australian Alps so while there wasn’t a great deal of mystery, this was an interesting and adventurous story.
Part of what makes these mysteries so enjoyable is how the author takes you to 1920s Melbourne with the descriptions of clothing, food, music and other culture. I fully recommend these mysteries for anyone who is looking for a light yet engaging read.
Category: Starsky & Hutch
September TIOLI #10: Title Includes Part of the Name of a Well Known University
The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood is the 5th book in her Phryne Fisher mystery series. The book opens at the Green Mill Dancing establishment. Although there is a dance marathon going on, Phryne is just there for the evening. Accompanied by a rather lacklustre partner, Charles Freeman, who suddenly disappears when one of the marathon dancers falls dead to the floor.
It turns out that he has been stabbed in the heart by a very thin knife. Phryne is asked by Charles’ mother find and clear him of any charges, but also to track down his brother Victor, who has been living in the wilds after coming back from WW I scarred and shell-shocked. Phryne is kept busy with discovering who the murderer is as well as sorting out the two brothers. A big part of the story was about Phyrne’s solo flight from Melbourne to Australian Alps so while there wasn’t a great deal of mystery, this was an interesting and adventurous story.
Part of what makes these mysteries so enjoyable is how the author takes you to 1920s Melbourne with the descriptions of clothing, food, music and other culture. I fully recommend these mysteries for anyone who is looking for a light yet engaging read.
86BLBera
Never Let Me Go still creeps me out years after reading it.
87DeltaQueen50
>86 BLBera: I wonder why most dystopian books of the future paint such a bleak picture - that, combined with world attitudes and atmospheres of today really makes me worry about what the future will bring.
88DeltaQueen50
161. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah - 4.5 ★
Category: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
September TIOLI #9: Title Contains More Than 22 Letters
Every once in a while a book comes along that is simply the perfect read for you at that moment. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah was such a book for me. The enchanting story of how a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again totally captivated me.
Jo is a recovering cancer patient, she is also recovering from losing her mother to the same disease and adjusting to her new body after having a double mastectomy as well as her ovaries removed. She is spending the summer doing her graduate research on nesting birds in a remote corner of southern Illinois. She is at first annoyed when her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a little girl who arrives barefoot and covered in bruises. The girl calls herself Ursa and claims that she is an alien who has come to Earth and must experience five miracles before she can leave. Slowly Ursa wriggles into Jo’s life and all her efforts to find out more about the child prove fruitless. She and Ursa do meet the neighbour, Gabriel Nash, who is helping his invalid mother and both recovering and learning to live with depression. Jo, Ursa and Gabriel bond together but Ursa’s dangerous past suddenly changes everything.
I found Where the Forest Meets the Stars to be an emotional, heart warming, and poignant story. I was a little worried that it would be a little too sweet but the author used humor to keep that from happening. This debut novel was a delightful surprise that would have been a five star read except that I had a few concerns over how Gabriel’s depression was treated.
Category: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
September TIOLI #9: Title Contains More Than 22 Letters
Every once in a while a book comes along that is simply the perfect read for you at that moment. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah was such a book for me. The enchanting story of how a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again totally captivated me.
Jo is a recovering cancer patient, she is also recovering from losing her mother to the same disease and adjusting to her new body after having a double mastectomy as well as her ovaries removed. She is spending the summer doing her graduate research on nesting birds in a remote corner of southern Illinois. She is at first annoyed when her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a little girl who arrives barefoot and covered in bruises. The girl calls herself Ursa and claims that she is an alien who has come to Earth and must experience five miracles before she can leave. Slowly Ursa wriggles into Jo’s life and all her efforts to find out more about the child prove fruitless. She and Ursa do meet the neighbour, Gabriel Nash, who is helping his invalid mother and both recovering and learning to live with depression. Jo, Ursa and Gabriel bond together but Ursa’s dangerous past suddenly changes everything.
I found Where the Forest Meets the Stars to be an emotional, heart warming, and poignant story. I was a little worried that it would be a little too sweet but the author used humor to keep that from happening. This debut novel was a delightful surprise that would have been a five star read except that I had a few concerns over how Gabriel’s depression was treated.
89Tess_W
>88 DeltaQueen50: so glad you enjoyed it! That is on my TBR pile and I hope to get to it this year.
90DeltaQueen50
>89 Tess_W: I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
91DeltaQueen50
162. The Lost History of the Stars by Dave Boling - 3.8 ★
Category: Chuck Noland & Wilson
September TIOLI #3: Set Prior to 1922 in a country that was part of the British Empire
The Lost History of the Stars by Dave Boling is set in turn-of-the-century South Africa and follows a Boer family through the trials of the 1899 - 1902 war with the British. Fourteen year old Lettie, her stern and duty-bound mother, a younger brother and sister are Dutch Afrikaner settlers who are forcibly moved to a concentration camp after their farm was burned. Lettie’s father, grandfather and older brother are off fighting. Thousands of Afrikaner women and children were placed in these cramped and disease ridden camps for the duration.
We are given a detailed view of this family’s life, both before and during the war. Conditions in the camp are horrific and while Lettie tries to be brave and defiant, she yearns for her old life and quieter times. Her mother hates the British but Lettie has come to realize that they are not all bad, some are much more understanding and compassionate that she has been led to believe.
The Lost History of the Stars is a good novel of historical fiction and paints a vivid picture of people caught up in the shadow of a brutal war. I found it both interesting and educational but although it is beautifully written, I never quite felt that the characters were developed to the point where they became real.
Written as a testament to family, love and the will to survive, the author has based this novel on his grandfather’s experience during the Boer War.
Category: Chuck Noland & Wilson
September TIOLI #3: Set Prior to 1922 in a country that was part of the British Empire
The Lost History of the Stars by Dave Boling is set in turn-of-the-century South Africa and follows a Boer family through the trials of the 1899 - 1902 war with the British. Fourteen year old Lettie, her stern and duty-bound mother, a younger brother and sister are Dutch Afrikaner settlers who are forcibly moved to a concentration camp after their farm was burned. Lettie’s father, grandfather and older brother are off fighting. Thousands of Afrikaner women and children were placed in these cramped and disease ridden camps for the duration.
We are given a detailed view of this family’s life, both before and during the war. Conditions in the camp are horrific and while Lettie tries to be brave and defiant, she yearns for her old life and quieter times. Her mother hates the British but Lettie has come to realize that they are not all bad, some are much more understanding and compassionate that she has been led to believe.
The Lost History of the Stars is a good novel of historical fiction and paints a vivid picture of people caught up in the shadow of a brutal war. I found it both interesting and educational but although it is beautifully written, I never quite felt that the characters were developed to the point where they became real.
Written as a testament to family, love and the will to survive, the author has based this novel on his grandfather’s experience during the Boer War.
92cindydavid4
I know very little about that war, should look more into that. Wonder if thats the first time in modern history people were put into concentration camps
93Tess_W
>91 DeltaQueen50: Another BB for me! I used to teach about the Boer War when I taught World History.
94katiekrug
Hi Judy. The Bowling is of interest to me but your reservations also give me pause. I'll look for it through the library, I think.
95DeltaQueen50
>92 cindydavid4: I was wondering that about the concentration camps as well - of course, the British called them Refugee Camps - but then, they are the ones who burnt the Boers houses and took them into custody.
>93 Tess_W: It's an interesting book and is rare in that it is written from the viewpoint of a Dutch Afrikaner.
>94 katiekrug: Wise choice, Katie.
>93 Tess_W: It's an interesting book and is rare in that it is written from the viewpoint of a Dutch Afrikaner.
>94 katiekrug: Wise choice, Katie.
96DeltaQueen50
My husband and I are going to take a couple of days and head down to Bellingham, Washington. We are going to visit with his brother and wife and I am very excited as we haven't seen them since 2019! A nice long visit and maybe a little shopping will fill two days nicely. I'll be back on Thursday.
97MissWatson
Oh, that sounds wonderful, Judy. Enjoy the reunion!
98msf59
Hi, Judy. Good review of Where the Forest Meets the Stars. I have added that one to the Mt. TBR. I hope your week is off to a good start.
100MissBrangwen
>91 DeltaQueen50: A BB for me as well!
>96 DeltaQueen50: Have a great trip! How exciting indeed to meet again after such a long time.
>96 DeltaQueen50: Have a great trip! How exciting indeed to meet again after such a long time.
102LadyoftheLodge
Enjoy your trip!
103DeltaQueen50
I'm back and it was a lovely couple of days. We got to visit with the in-laws, did a little shopping and had a couple of nice meals - a good break from the regular routine. Of course, it's great to be home again and back to my own bed!
>97 MissWatson: Thanks, Birgit, we did enjoy getting together with my husband's brother and his wife. It was great to catch up with each other after two years.
>98 msf59: I hope you enjoy Where the Forest Meets the Stars when you get to it, Mark.
>99 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess.
>100 MissBrangwen: Hi Mirjam, I hope you like the book when you get to it.
>101 mstrust: We did have fun. :) Thanks, Jennifer.
>102 LadyoftheLodge: Thanks, Cheryl.
>97 MissWatson: Thanks, Birgit, we did enjoy getting together with my husband's brother and his wife. It was great to catch up with each other after two years.
>98 msf59: I hope you enjoy Where the Forest Meets the Stars when you get to it, Mark.
>99 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess.
>100 MissBrangwen: Hi Mirjam, I hope you like the book when you get to it.
>101 mstrust: We did have fun. :) Thanks, Jennifer.
>102 LadyoftheLodge: Thanks, Cheryl.
104DeltaQueen50
163. The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong'o - 4.0 ★
Category: Lucy & Ethel
September AuthorCat: African Author
September TIOLI #3: Set prior to 1922 in a country that was part of the British Empire
The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong’o is about the Gikuyu people of Kenya who lived in a remote area of ridges and valleys. The time is during the early days of white settlement, some of the people were lured by the new religion and “magical” customs and so they followed Joshua, a Gikuyu convert who preached Christianity. Others wanted to keep to the tribal customs and old ways. Battle lines over female circumcision have been drawn as the Christians try to outlaw the pagan practice while the traditionalists feel it is an important part of their culture.
Firmly in the middle stands Waiyaki a young man who has been educated by the missionaries but belongs to a family of visionaries who foresaw the coming of the white man and the turmoil, changes and confusion that would arise with their arrival. To make matters more complicated he falls in love with Nyambura, the Christian daughter of the fiery pastor, Joshua. Waiyaki believes that education is the answer but he also wants to honour his father’s wishes without really understanding what his father was trying to say.
The River Between stands as a social critique as there is, of course, no answer to the problems that the Gikuyu were facing. The two factions were both doomed as once colonialism and Christianity get a firm hold and white settlers arrive in their numbers, the rift will continue to grow and tribal independence along with their customs and culture will disappear.
Category: Lucy & Ethel
September AuthorCat: African Author
September TIOLI #3: Set prior to 1922 in a country that was part of the British Empire
The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong’o is about the Gikuyu people of Kenya who lived in a remote area of ridges and valleys. The time is during the early days of white settlement, some of the people were lured by the new religion and “magical” customs and so they followed Joshua, a Gikuyu convert who preached Christianity. Others wanted to keep to the tribal customs and old ways. Battle lines over female circumcision have been drawn as the Christians try to outlaw the pagan practice while the traditionalists feel it is an important part of their culture.
Firmly in the middle stands Waiyaki a young man who has been educated by the missionaries but belongs to a family of visionaries who foresaw the coming of the white man and the turmoil, changes and confusion that would arise with their arrival. To make matters more complicated he falls in love with Nyambura, the Christian daughter of the fiery pastor, Joshua. Waiyaki believes that education is the answer but he also wants to honour his father’s wishes without really understanding what his father was trying to say.
The River Between stands as a social critique as there is, of course, no answer to the problems that the Gikuyu were facing. The two factions were both doomed as once colonialism and Christianity get a firm hold and white settlers arrive in their numbers, the rift will continue to grow and tribal independence along with their customs and culture will disappear.
105DeltaQueen50
164. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill - 4.2 ★
Category: Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock
Around the Year in 52 Books: The Main Character is a Non-human
October SFFFKit: Robots & Sentient AI
October TIOLI #3: Rolling Challenge - Grady Girls
Sea of Rust by Robert C. Cargill is an interesting story of one robot’s search for the meaning of life in a world where all the humans have been killed and AI is now the master race. Set thirty years after the war between the robots and the humans, there is now a battle between the two powerful AI supercomputers as they vie for full control by overtaking and assimilating the remaining “free” robots by switching them off and storing their memories in their own networks.
Life for the remaining freebots is difficult. Many wander the wastelands that were once the war zones scavenging the carcasses of terminated robots for the spare parts that they need to keep going. Brittle fought in the war and now is a wanderer, her days are spent in the Sea of Rust and she helps dying robots toward their end in order to salvage their parts. She meets and joins a strange crew whose mission may help the remaining freebots to keep their identities and end the war but they are in peril as they are being tracked by a supercomputer who will stop at nothing to ensure this mission is not successful.
I found this story to be engrossing and I particularly enjoyed the character of Brittle and her muses and memories of life. There was a touch of the wild west in the setting and plenty of action to keep the pages turning in this post-apocalyptic tale. This was my first novel by this author, but I will now be on the lookout for more science fiction by him.
Category: Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock
Around the Year in 52 Books: The Main Character is a Non-human
October SFFFKit: Robots & Sentient AI
October TIOLI #3: Rolling Challenge - Grady Girls
Sea of Rust by Robert C. Cargill is an interesting story of one robot’s search for the meaning of life in a world where all the humans have been killed and AI is now the master race. Set thirty years after the war between the robots and the humans, there is now a battle between the two powerful AI supercomputers as they vie for full control by overtaking and assimilating the remaining “free” robots by switching them off and storing their memories in their own networks.
Life for the remaining freebots is difficult. Many wander the wastelands that were once the war zones scavenging the carcasses of terminated robots for the spare parts that they need to keep going. Brittle fought in the war and now is a wanderer, her days are spent in the Sea of Rust and she helps dying robots toward their end in order to salvage their parts. She meets and joins a strange crew whose mission may help the remaining freebots to keep their identities and end the war but they are in peril as they are being tracked by a supercomputer who will stop at nothing to ensure this mission is not successful.
I found this story to be engrossing and I particularly enjoyed the character of Brittle and her muses and memories of life. There was a touch of the wild west in the setting and plenty of action to keep the pages turning in this post-apocalyptic tale. This was my first novel by this author, but I will now be on the lookout for more science fiction by him.
106DeltaQueen50
165. November Road by Lou Berney - 5.0 ★
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
October AlphaKit: N
October TIOLI #15: A 4th Quarter Month is in the Title
For me, November Road by Lou Berney was a fantastic read that I both didn’t want to put down but I also didn’t want it to end. Set in November, 1963, the book covers the time immediately after the assassination of President John Kennedy. We meet Frank Guidry, a sharp dressed mobster in the city of New Orleans. When his boss makes the request that he park a get-away car in Dallas, he didn’t think anything of it – until after the news broke about the President. Then when he is requested to go to Houston and pick up the same car and ensure it disappears, he realizes this is all connected and now he knows too much.
On the run for his life, Frank meets up with Charlotte, a young housewife from Oklahoma who with her two daughters has left her husband and is one her way to a new life in California. Frank realizes that Charlotte and the girls would make an excellent cover for him and manages to work his way into their lives. What he didn’t plan was that he would develop strong feelings for them. Meanwhile they are being tracked by a ruthless killer who has been instructed not to leave any witnesses behind.
The author has delivered a sharp, chilling story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. He develops each character fully and gives us a glimpse of their inner thoughts and feelings which ensures that the reader will feel a connection to all. November Road is a suspenseful, beautifully written story and has placed this author on my “must-read” list.
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
October AlphaKit: N
October TIOLI #15: A 4th Quarter Month is in the Title
For me, November Road by Lou Berney was a fantastic read that I both didn’t want to put down but I also didn’t want it to end. Set in November, 1963, the book covers the time immediately after the assassination of President John Kennedy. We meet Frank Guidry, a sharp dressed mobster in the city of New Orleans. When his boss makes the request that he park a get-away car in Dallas, he didn’t think anything of it – until after the news broke about the President. Then when he is requested to go to Houston and pick up the same car and ensure it disappears, he realizes this is all connected and now he knows too much.
On the run for his life, Frank meets up with Charlotte, a young housewife from Oklahoma who with her two daughters has left her husband and is one her way to a new life in California. Frank realizes that Charlotte and the girls would make an excellent cover for him and manages to work his way into their lives. What he didn’t plan was that he would develop strong feelings for them. Meanwhile they are being tracked by a ruthless killer who has been instructed not to leave any witnesses behind.
The author has delivered a sharp, chilling story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. He develops each character fully and gives us a glimpse of their inner thoughts and feelings which ensures that the reader will feel a connection to all. November Road is a suspenseful, beautifully written story and has placed this author on my “must-read” list.
107clue
>106 DeltaQueen50: When I was going on about Lou over on Ridgeway Girl's page I forgot to say this was made into a movie. He and a well known scriptwriter wrote the script. I haven't watched it, it came out during Covid and wasn't in the theatre here as far as I know. It's probaby available somewhere online but I haven't wanted to watch it. Maybe sometime.
108RidgewayGirl
>107 clue: From what I can find on-line, the movie has been "in development" since 2018, with Lawrence Kasdan directing. It seems to have fallen into limbo.
109dudes22
>106 DeltaQueen50: - I took a BB from both you and Kay for one of his books a few years ago and seeing this has reminded me to get going and read him.
110DeltaQueen50
>107 clue: & >108 RidgewayGirl: I have such vivid pictures of the characters in this book that I am not sure that I would want to see a film of it. But, on the other hand, it would make and excellent movie!
>109 dudes22: I think you will enjoy his work when you get to him, Betty.
>109 dudes22: I think you will enjoy his work when you get to him, Betty.
111Tess_W
>106 DeltaQueen50: I liked this book, also. It was a BB from LuAnne.
112DeltaQueen50
>111 Tess_W: I'm glad that a few of us have read and loved it - his writing deserves attention.
113DeltaQueen50
166. 419 by Will Ferguson - 4.2 ★
Category: Patience & Fortitude
October TIOLI #5: Cover Features a Woman's Face
419 by Canadian author Will Ferguson is an intricate and compelling international crime story that gathers momentum as it goes along. The author is peeling back the layers behind a real-life internet scam that swindles the life savings from it’s victims.
Henry Curtis, retired teacher from Calgary, Alberta swerves his car into a snowy ravine, leaving behind a devastated family. It is revealed that Henry was a victim of a 419 Nigerian scam and that his death is being ruled a suicide. His daughter, Laura, sets out to track down the people she considers her father’s killers not realizing the extreme danger she is putting herself in. But there is much more to 419 than this one story, the author gives us a detailed picture of the country of Nigeria by introducing a number of other characters, telling their backstory and showing the desperation and poverty that is rife in this country.
I was riveted by this book and felt rewarded by the excellence of the story and the writing. Will Ferguson is better known as a travel writer and humorist, but he certainly put together an interesting and well researched thriller with this book.
Category: Patience & Fortitude
October TIOLI #5: Cover Features a Woman's Face
419 by Canadian author Will Ferguson is an intricate and compelling international crime story that gathers momentum as it goes along. The author is peeling back the layers behind a real-life internet scam that swindles the life savings from it’s victims.
Henry Curtis, retired teacher from Calgary, Alberta swerves his car into a snowy ravine, leaving behind a devastated family. It is revealed that Henry was a victim of a 419 Nigerian scam and that his death is being ruled a suicide. His daughter, Laura, sets out to track down the people she considers her father’s killers not realizing the extreme danger she is putting herself in. But there is much more to 419 than this one story, the author gives us a detailed picture of the country of Nigeria by introducing a number of other characters, telling their backstory and showing the desperation and poverty that is rife in this country.
I was riveted by this book and felt rewarded by the excellence of the story and the writing. Will Ferguson is better known as a travel writer and humorist, but he certainly put together an interesting and well researched thriller with this book.
114Familyhistorian
Your visit across the line sounds like it was overdue, Judy. Nice that you got together after so long and it sounds like travel will become much easier now that restrictions are easing.
November Road looks like an interesting read.
November Road looks like an interesting read.
115threadnsong
Hello Judy! I spent last night catching up on this LT group and your thread (holy cow, it's been since August) and I wanted to wave to you from the other side of the continent. What great reads you've had, and I hope you are enjoying the slightly colder weather!
116DeltaQueen50
>114 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, it was lovely to get to visit with our in-laws after such a long time. I highly recommend November Road.
>115 threadnsong: Hi threadnsong. I have been having a great time with my books lately with so many excellent reads. It is a little cooler here, but we are still experiencing summer temps. which is unusual for October!
>115 threadnsong: Hi threadnsong. I have been having a great time with my books lately with so many excellent reads. It is a little cooler here, but we are still experiencing summer temps. which is unusual for October!
117DeltaQueen50
167. The Dogs by Allan Stratton - 3.8 ★
Category: Trixie Belden & Honey Wheeler
October TIOLI #2: Read a Scary Book
The Dogs by Allan Stratton is a psychological/horror thriller about a boy and his mother who are on the run from the violent husband who has apparently been stalking them for some time. Aimed at a YA audience, the author does an excellent job of exploring the mindset of a young boy who is under a permanent state of dread and self-doubt.
Their latest move has brought Katherine and Cameron to the small rural town of Wolf Hollow. They are renting an isolated farm house that Cameron discovers has a number of strange stories attached to it. Cameron is tired of living in constant fear, and he’s never quite sure whether his father is the evil person his mother claims, or if his mother is paranoid. When he starts to feel watched and then comes into contact with a ghostly being, again we are not sure if this is really happening or if it’s all in Cameron’s head. As more strange things happen, Cameron is feeling desperate so he reaches out to his father, inadvertently letting his father know where they are.
The Dogs is a gripping and insightful story that is well written and builds to a dramatic climax. The horror isn’t overdone, yet there are chilling moments of both the supernatural and of domestic abuse.
Category: Trixie Belden & Honey Wheeler
October TIOLI #2: Read a Scary Book
The Dogs by Allan Stratton is a psychological/horror thriller about a boy and his mother who are on the run from the violent husband who has apparently been stalking them for some time. Aimed at a YA audience, the author does an excellent job of exploring the mindset of a young boy who is under a permanent state of dread and self-doubt.
Their latest move has brought Katherine and Cameron to the small rural town of Wolf Hollow. They are renting an isolated farm house that Cameron discovers has a number of strange stories attached to it. Cameron is tired of living in constant fear, and he’s never quite sure whether his father is the evil person his mother claims, or if his mother is paranoid. When he starts to feel watched and then comes into contact with a ghostly being, again we are not sure if this is really happening or if it’s all in Cameron’s head. As more strange things happen, Cameron is feeling desperate so he reaches out to his father, inadvertently letting his father know where they are.
The Dogs is a gripping and insightful story that is well written and builds to a dramatic climax. The horror isn’t overdone, yet there are chilling moments of both the supernatural and of domestic abuse.
118DeltaQueen50
168. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig - 3.2 ★
Category: Chuck Noland & Wilson
October TIOLI #4: Tagged as Historical Fiction
Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig is a novel of historical fiction that is based on the author’s own family history. It covers about 40 turbulent years in the country of Burma, now Myanmar, opening in the 1939 at the start of World War II and the threat of Japanese invasion and continuing on through the years of ousting British Colonialism and Burma’s civil war.
Unfortunately I struggled with this book, finding the pace extremely slow and the writing style dense, remote and inaccessible. The story is dark with scenes of torture, rape and violence. I knew very little about Burmese history other than it was a British colony at one time so I did find the political, historical and cultural information interesting but overall found the book overwritten and awkward. I eventually found myself skimming the book, avoiding the story in favor of the history.
Miss Burma has all the ingredients for an excellent novel and it would have been an excellent story if the author had been more focused on the characters. This book has increased my interest in reading more about this country and it’s history.
Category: Chuck Noland & Wilson
October TIOLI #4: Tagged as Historical Fiction
Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig is a novel of historical fiction that is based on the author’s own family history. It covers about 40 turbulent years in the country of Burma, now Myanmar, opening in the 1939 at the start of World War II and the threat of Japanese invasion and continuing on through the years of ousting British Colonialism and Burma’s civil war.
Unfortunately I struggled with this book, finding the pace extremely slow and the writing style dense, remote and inaccessible. The story is dark with scenes of torture, rape and violence. I knew very little about Burmese history other than it was a British colony at one time so I did find the political, historical and cultural information interesting but overall found the book overwritten and awkward. I eventually found myself skimming the book, avoiding the story in favor of the history.
Miss Burma has all the ingredients for an excellent novel and it would have been an excellent story if the author had been more focused on the characters. This book has increased my interest in reading more about this country and it’s history.
119DeltaQueen50
Yikes! My cleaning lady didn't come and I have company coming for Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday. I am spending today doing some cleaning and I started with cleaning out the fridge so I have room for the turkey. This afternoon I will dust and maybe clean a bathroom or two. I have to admit having a cleaning lady has certainly made me lazy - I really hate doing housework!
121cindydavid4
>119 DeltaQueen50: oh no!!! but answer this, the people who are coming, will they really care how the place looks or more interested in you and the dinner?
122RidgewayGirl
>119 DeltaQueen50: Judy, just remember that atmospheric lighting is your friend. And if you feed them enough pie, they won't care about whether you've dusted.
123Tess_W
>122 RidgewayGirl: I agree! Put them in a sugar coma, light some candles, and nobody will notice!
125DeltaQueen50
Taking a break from baking and thank you everyone for your encouraging comments. I decided to go with the low lighting and candles. My hubby is doing the vacuuming, but the dusting will wait for my cleaning lady. My family will be the company so I don't expect they will notice any dust - they come for the food!
>120 lsh63: I really did think that when I got older, I would get to be the guest and my daughters would be doing the cooking but it just hasn't worked out that way!
>121 cindydavid4: I don't have to worry about anyone noticing any lack of cleaning - they think I am too fussy as it is!
>122 RidgewayGirl: That's what I am planning on!
>123 Tess_W: Sugar comas are being arranged!
>124 mstrust: You made me laugh out loud, Jennifer. I tell you if I could get my hands on some straw - I would definitely go that route!
>120 lsh63: I really did think that when I got older, I would get to be the guest and my daughters would be doing the cooking but it just hasn't worked out that way!
>121 cindydavid4: I don't have to worry about anyone noticing any lack of cleaning - they think I am too fussy as it is!
>122 RidgewayGirl: That's what I am planning on!
>123 Tess_W: Sugar comas are being arranged!
>124 mstrust: You made me laugh out loud, Jennifer. I tell you if I could get my hands on some straw - I would definitely go that route!
126Helenliz
I love my cleaner, but I'd expect that good friends will be able to turn a blind eye to a spot of dust.
I always think the quality of the food and company is more important. Have a great dinner.
I always think the quality of the food and company is more important. Have a great dinner.
127LadyoftheLodge
>126 Helenliz: Agreed! My family always says they come over to my house to see me, not the house itself.
128Familyhistorian
What a time for your cleaning lady not to show up, Judy. Sounds like you have it under control. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
129DeltaQueen50
>126 Helenliz: & >127 LadyoftheLodge: Dinner completed and everything went well. Low lighting covered up any trace of dust, and the food kept everyone happy.
>128 Familyhistorian: I was in control, Meg, but now I am stuffed with turkey and all the trimmings! I do know that I will most likely sleep well tonight.
>128 Familyhistorian: I was in control, Meg, but now I am stuffed with turkey and all the trimmings! I do know that I will most likely sleep well tonight.
130DeltaQueen50
169. Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante - 4.1 ★
Category: Starsky & Hutch
October Catwoman: Women and Crime
Around the Year in 52 Books: Main character is a female detective
October TIOLI #5: Cover features a woman's face
Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante is the 4th book in the author’s police procedural series featuring Anna Travis. This was a very long, very intricate entry to the series that had Travis investigating the murder of a former colleague and trying to track a notorious drug dealer who has returned to the U.K. after having plastic surgery. The drug dealer is trying to recover money that he has stashed with various people and he will kill anyone who stands in his way.
Anna is still recovering from her relationship with her former boss, Frank Langton and is trying to move on, but Frank is now in charge of the Murder Squad and she not only has to come face-to-face with him, but as the case gains notoriety, she has to once again work with him.
Anna proves herself to be a valuable member of the team, but some of her efforts are a little too edgy and she tends to take chances and strike out on her own. By the end of the book, she has gotten over any feelings she had for Frank while he in turn is threatening to have her up on report as he blames her for their failure to capture the drug lord. Anna does make some very questionable choices that could prove very destructive to her career so I am interested in continuing on with the series and finding out what happens next.
Category: Starsky & Hutch
October Catwoman: Women and Crime
Around the Year in 52 Books: Main character is a female detective
October TIOLI #5: Cover features a woman's face
Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante is the 4th book in the author’s police procedural series featuring Anna Travis. This was a very long, very intricate entry to the series that had Travis investigating the murder of a former colleague and trying to track a notorious drug dealer who has returned to the U.K. after having plastic surgery. The drug dealer is trying to recover money that he has stashed with various people and he will kill anyone who stands in his way.
Anna is still recovering from her relationship with her former boss, Frank Langton and is trying to move on, but Frank is now in charge of the Murder Squad and she not only has to come face-to-face with him, but as the case gains notoriety, she has to once again work with him.
Anna proves herself to be a valuable member of the team, but some of her efforts are a little too edgy and she tends to take chances and strike out on her own. By the end of the book, she has gotten over any feelings she had for Frank while he in turn is threatening to have her up on report as he blames her for their failure to capture the drug lord. Anna does make some very questionable choices that could prove very destructive to her career so I am interested in continuing on with the series and finding out what happens next.
132DeltaQueen50
>131 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I am enjoying today as I have nothing that I "have" to do. Reading and relaxing will be the order of the day. :)
134DeltaQueen50
>133 Helenliz: Thank you. I really enjoyed spending the day doing very little and simply warming up leftovers for dinner.
135PaulCranswick
Also stopping by to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving dear Guru.
136MissWatson
Happy belated Thanksgiving, Judy!
137DeltaQueen50
>135 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, lovely to see you. Thank you for the good wishes.
>136 MissWatson: Thank you, Birgit.
>136 MissWatson: Thank you, Birgit.
138BLBera
I am with you in hating housework, but people come to see you, not a shiny clean house.
I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.
I liked Miss Burmamore than you did, but I don't remember much about it.
I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.
I liked Miss Burmamore than you did, but I don't remember much about it.
139DeltaQueen50
>138 BLBera: Hi Beth, I am happy to report that my cleaning lady is coming tomorrow, and I am looking forward to a sparkly clean apartment! We had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend, thank you. I think perhaps Miss Burma was the wrong book for me at the time. I didn't want to say it out loud but I am afraid I am in a bit of a book slump. Even though I am enjoying what I am reading right now, I am finding it a bit of a slog. Hopefully I can shake this off soon - perhaps planning my next year's category challenge will build up my enthusiasm,
140DeltaQueen50
I forgot to list my best books of the 3rd quarter:
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
The Untold by Courtney Collins
The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
The Untold by Courtney Collins
The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
141clue
>139 DeltaQueen50: It's so true that there is some mixture of this and that in us that influences our satisfaction with a book at any given time. I read your review of Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen when you posted it and thought then I needed to try it...again! One of my friends let me know as soon as she finished it that I needed to read it, it was one of her favorite books last year. I tried it right away but just couldn't get into it. I'm glad you liked it and I'm sure I will too when the time is right.
142cindydavid4
Lost children archive might be an interesting read with our missing hearts. Glad you like Esme Lennox; I usually like her books, but this one had a messed up time line that bothered me. still, an amazing story.
143DeltaQueen50
>141 clue: How we all react or respond to various books certainly is different and I think that's part of the magic of reading. I know for myself that I respond well to any book that deals with survival or coming-of-age, but that many people do not like those themes. I also have a soft spot for books set in the American West (and zombies!!). Book recommendations are tricky as a book I love may not be a book that others care about at all. Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen as an excellent read for me but I understand that it is not a book that everyone will love.
144DeltaQueen50
>142 cindydavid4: I have yet to read anything by Celeste Ng but will have to give her a try soon. I have noticed that as I grow older myself, I now like books that include senior citizens and their issues so Esme Lennox was a good fit for me.
145DeltaQueen50
170. The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan - 4.1 ★
Category: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
October Reading Thru Time: Music
October TIOLI #4: Tagged as "Historical Fiction"
I really enjoyed The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan. Composed entirely of letters and diary entries, we are pulled into the day to day affairs of Chilbury, a village in Kent. The time is the summer of 1940, the Battle of Britain is underway and Chilbury is on the flight path of the Nazis coming to bomb London. The village consists of mainly women as the men are off fighting, and we particularly follow the women who have gotten together and formed a ladies only choir.
The choir binds both the women and the story together, but between practices and performances we also read of bombings, a baby-swapping scheme, love affairs, spies and black market operators. I found the characters, from the village nurse to a plucky thirteen year old both varied and interesting. The war has affected everyone in the village with shortages, rationing, blackouts, air-raid drills, worry over their men and the ever present fear of England being invaded.
The Chilbury Ladies Choir is well written and moves along at a good pace. Absorbing the story through letters and diaries made the emotions seems very real to me and this will be a book that I remember for some time.
Category: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
October Reading Thru Time: Music
October TIOLI #4: Tagged as "Historical Fiction"
I really enjoyed The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan. Composed entirely of letters and diary entries, we are pulled into the day to day affairs of Chilbury, a village in Kent. The time is the summer of 1940, the Battle of Britain is underway and Chilbury is on the flight path of the Nazis coming to bomb London. The village consists of mainly women as the men are off fighting, and we particularly follow the women who have gotten together and formed a ladies only choir.
The choir binds both the women and the story together, but between practices and performances we also read of bombings, a baby-swapping scheme, love affairs, spies and black market operators. I found the characters, from the village nurse to a plucky thirteen year old both varied and interesting. The war has affected everyone in the village with shortages, rationing, blackouts, air-raid drills, worry over their men and the ever present fear of England being invaded.
The Chilbury Ladies Choir is well written and moves along at a good pace. Absorbing the story through letters and diaries made the emotions seems very real to me and this will be a book that I remember for some time.
146dudes22
>145 DeltaQueen50: - I took this as a BB quite a few years ago. Guess I should move it up the list.
147msf59
Happy Wednesday, Judy. I remember really liking November Road. A nice surprise. I was also a big fan of Lost Children Archive. Looking forward to reading both of these authors again.
148BLBera
>145 DeltaQueen50: I remember being surprised by this one, Judy. I enjoyed it much more than I expected.
149mstrust
Hi, Judy!
>145 DeltaQueen50: Such a pretty cover, glad the book was good too! BB!
>145 DeltaQueen50: Such a pretty cover, glad the book was good too! BB!
150DeltaQueen50
>146 dudes22: I think you will enjoy it, Betty.
>147 msf59: Hi Mark. Lou Berney has also written The Long and Faraway Gone which I also liked a lot.
>148 BLBera: I was surprised at this one as well, Beth.
>149 mstrust: It is a beautiful cover, Jennifer, and luckily, it was a very good read as well. :)
>147 msf59: Hi Mark. Lou Berney has also written The Long and Faraway Gone which I also liked a lot.
>148 BLBera: I was surprised at this one as well, Beth.
>149 mstrust: It is a beautiful cover, Jennifer, and luckily, it was a very good read as well. :)
151Tess_W
>145 DeltaQueen50: I read that recently and also loved it!
152JaxonMcArthur
Deze gebruiker is verwijderd als spam.
153DeltaQueen50
171. The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper - 4.3 ★
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
October TIOLI #10: A Book About the British Royal Family
The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper is about Charlotte Bill, a nanny who devoted her life to the Duke and Duchess of York (King George V & Queen Mary) and their children. This was a well researched, accurate account of the growing up years of the six children – David, Bertie, Mary, Harry, George and Johnny. Their personalities and character traits are well documented and I found this to be fascinating behind the scenes look at these Royals.
Charlotte, called Lala by the children and family, grew to love all the children but her heart truly belonged to the youngest child, Johnny, who was an epileptic and was a little slow due to a very difficult birth. He needed her constant attention and supervision which she gladly gave. When his seizures become frequent, he and Charlotte were moved to their own residence on the Sandringham Estate, and she was with him until his death at age fourteen. During her time with the children, many historic events occurred, from the death of Queen Victoria, through to their own father being crowned King. She worried about the eldest and heir to the throne, David, as he was rather weak and easily led and she was disappointed in him when he decided to abdicate. Her life was lived in the shadows of the Royals, but they thought a lot of her and she was even supplied an apartment on the Sandringham Estate to live out her life.
The Royal Nanny was an absorbing read and I found myself constantly googling various people and castles as they came up in the book. Charlotte’s steadfast loyalty and unconditional care and concern for these royal children found her sacrificing her personal life for one of servitude. This hidden history aspect of Royal life and it’s upstairs-downstairs point of view made this book a fun read that I really enjoyed.
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
October TIOLI #10: A Book About the British Royal Family
The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper is about Charlotte Bill, a nanny who devoted her life to the Duke and Duchess of York (King George V & Queen Mary) and their children. This was a well researched, accurate account of the growing up years of the six children – David, Bertie, Mary, Harry, George and Johnny. Their personalities and character traits are well documented and I found this to be fascinating behind the scenes look at these Royals.
Charlotte, called Lala by the children and family, grew to love all the children but her heart truly belonged to the youngest child, Johnny, who was an epileptic and was a little slow due to a very difficult birth. He needed her constant attention and supervision which she gladly gave. When his seizures become frequent, he and Charlotte were moved to their own residence on the Sandringham Estate, and she was with him until his death at age fourteen. During her time with the children, many historic events occurred, from the death of Queen Victoria, through to their own father being crowned King. She worried about the eldest and heir to the throne, David, as he was rather weak and easily led and she was disappointed in him when he decided to abdicate. Her life was lived in the shadows of the Royals, but they thought a lot of her and she was even supplied an apartment on the Sandringham Estate to live out her life.
The Royal Nanny was an absorbing read and I found myself constantly googling various people and castles as they came up in the book. Charlotte’s steadfast loyalty and unconditional care and concern for these royal children found her sacrificing her personal life for one of servitude. This hidden history aspect of Royal life and it’s upstairs-downstairs point of view made this book a fun read that I really enjoyed.
154beebeereads
>153 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for this rec...looks like a good read when I need some historical fiction in the mix! ---which btw is one of my fav genres.
155Tess_W
>153 DeltaQueen50: On my WL--glad you liked it!
156cindydavid4
>153 DeltaQueen50: is this the same nanny that caused problems for the future King (as shown in The Kings Speech Im aware that the movie is not a documentary, but curious.
157DeltaQueen50
>154 beebeereads: & >155 Tess_W: I hope you both enjoy The Royal Nanny as much as I did.
>156 cindydavid4: I've seen "The King's Speech" but I don't remember it very well. Perhaps his stuttering was blamed on a Nanny? If so, it would have been the Nanny just before Charlotte Bill. In fact it was Charlotte who blew the whistle on this Nanny who mistreated the two boys. One thing she did was just before taking them in to see their parents she would pinch them to make then cry so the parents thought the boys didn't like to come and see them.
>156 cindydavid4: I've seen "The King's Speech" but I don't remember it very well. Perhaps his stuttering was blamed on a Nanny? If so, it would have been the Nanny just before Charlotte Bill. In fact it was Charlotte who blew the whistle on this Nanny who mistreated the two boys. One thing she did was just before taking them in to see their parents she would pinch them to make then cry so the parents thought the boys didn't like to come and see them.
158cindydavid4
>157 DeltaQueen50: yup that pinching thing came up in the movie Good for Charlotte to blow the whistle on the other, how horrid for someone to mistreat children
159DeltaQueen50
>158 cindydavid4: Yes, Charlotte had been hired as a nursery-maid but her bravery in exposing the Nanny and protecting the children made an impact and she was promoted to the Nanny position.
160DeltaQueen50
172. The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe - 4.5 ★
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
October AlphaKit: V
Historical Fiction Challenge: Set in my home country
October TIOLI #3: Rolling Challenge - Grady Girls
The Last Crossing is by Saskatchewan author Guy Vanderhaeghe, who has twice won Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award. It is 1871 and a strange and varied group gather together in Fort Benton, Montana. They are forming a search party and plan to head north into the British Territory, someday to be known as Canada.
Two English gentlemen, brothers Charles and Addington, are searching for Simon, the twin brother of Charles, who came to the west to be a missionary to the Blackfoot Indians, but hasn’t been heard from in months. They are joined by Caleb Ayto, a journalist, whom Addington is hoping will write a book about his adventures, a revenge-seeking woman, Lucy Stoveall, who wants to head north in order to find the murderers of her sister, Civil War veteran Custis Straw who is following Lucy, his friend, tavern keeping Aloysius Dooley and their guide, half-breed Jerry Potts. This group of misfits are all seeking something different. Along the way they experience unforgettable adventure in a land that has only known the touch of natives, fur trappers and whiskey traders.
The Last Crossing was beautifully imagined and written. The characters are realistically and fully presented as the author delves into each one’s backstory. With such diverse and colorful characters the author paints a vivid historical picture. The book’s scope was expansive and this story of the cultural clash and personal transformation of these travellers was a satisfying and absorbing read.
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
October AlphaKit: V
Historical Fiction Challenge: Set in my home country
October TIOLI #3: Rolling Challenge - Grady Girls
The Last Crossing is by Saskatchewan author Guy Vanderhaeghe, who has twice won Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award. It is 1871 and a strange and varied group gather together in Fort Benton, Montana. They are forming a search party and plan to head north into the British Territory, someday to be known as Canada.
Two English gentlemen, brothers Charles and Addington, are searching for Simon, the twin brother of Charles, who came to the west to be a missionary to the Blackfoot Indians, but hasn’t been heard from in months. They are joined by Caleb Ayto, a journalist, whom Addington is hoping will write a book about his adventures, a revenge-seeking woman, Lucy Stoveall, who wants to head north in order to find the murderers of her sister, Civil War veteran Custis Straw who is following Lucy, his friend, tavern keeping Aloysius Dooley and their guide, half-breed Jerry Potts. This group of misfits are all seeking something different. Along the way they experience unforgettable adventure in a land that has only known the touch of natives, fur trappers and whiskey traders.
The Last Crossing was beautifully imagined and written. The characters are realistically and fully presented as the author delves into each one’s backstory. With such diverse and colorful characters the author paints a vivid historical picture. The book’s scope was expansive and this story of the cultural clash and personal transformation of these travellers was a satisfying and absorbing read.
161RidgewayGirl
>160 DeltaQueen50: Sounds fantastic. Making note.
162DeltaQueen50
>161 RidgewayGirl: It was a fantastic read - I hope you are able to locate a copy!
163Tess_W
>160 DeltaQueen50: For some reason I have this on my shelf....I actually think it was for a monthly read in Reading Thru Time that I did not complete. Trying to move it up!
164DeltaQueen50
>163 Tess_W: I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of it, Tess - when you get to it. :)
165clue
>160 DeltaQueen50: I've had this on my reading list forever. So glad to see your review. Only problem is, I loaned it and will have to run it down now!
166DeltaQueen50
>165 clue: I hope you are able to trace your copy - it's a worthwhile read.
167humouress
>153 DeltaQueen50: That looks interesting - for the next whenever-it-is that I pick up a historical novel.
168BLBera
>160 DeltaQueen50: That does sound good.
169DeltaQueen50
I am struggling a little with my reading right now, not a true slump but a definite slowing down. Luckily I picked up a historical story about a prehistoric girl and with it's adventure, romance, and survival story, the pages are turning quickly. Far from fine literature, but it sure keeps me reading!
>167 humouress: Hi Nina, The Royal Nanny was excellent and certainly helped to fill in the blanks of who is who among the Royal relations!
>168 BLBera: Beth, The Last Crossing was excellent. It reminded me a little of one of my all time favorite books, Lonesome Dove, though, it is not quite up to that level.
>167 humouress: Hi Nina, The Royal Nanny was excellent and certainly helped to fill in the blanks of who is who among the Royal relations!
>168 BLBera: Beth, The Last Crossing was excellent. It reminded me a little of one of my all time favorite books, Lonesome Dove, though, it is not quite up to that level.
170dudes22
>160 DeltaQueen50: - Our book club theme for next year is award winners, so I'll be keeping this in mind since the Canada's Governor's General Literary Award is one of the categories. (shh - maybe I'll "arrange" to pick it for my month)
171DeltaQueen50
>170 dudes22: Good idea, sounds like your book club is going to have a good reading year!
172DeltaQueen50
173. Willard and his Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan - 3.6 ★
Category: Lucy & Ethel
October RandomCat: What's in a Name?
October 1,001 Group Challenge Read
October TIOLI #13: Uneven number of pages
I don’t consider myself a sexual prude but a book where every other chapter is about Bob and Constance, a couple having sex in ways that keep their venereal warts from infecting the other’s intimate parts was very off-putting to me. The other chapters were about three brothers who were searching for their stolen bowling trophies. We learn that the trophies are stored in the apartment below Bob and Constance and guarded by Willard, a paper-mache bird who stands about three feet tall. Weird – yes, but I read on as this is a very short book and I have to admit I wanted to see where this author was going.
It quickly became obvious that while this book poses a number of mysteries, it had no intention of actually solving the mysteries or explaining the who, what, when, why or where of the story. It is whimsical, outrageous, silly and highly stylized and yet, I couldn’t stop myself from reading on.
The subtitle of this book is “a perverse mystery” and perverse seems to be the right word. This short book takes the reader on a very bumpy ride with it’s false leads and contradictory statements. I’ve seen this author’s style described as comic realism which I would say is pretty apt. Willard and His Bowling Trophies blended satire, suspense and comedy in an absurdly unique way that certainly caught my attention.
Category: Lucy & Ethel
October RandomCat: What's in a Name?
October 1,001 Group Challenge Read
October TIOLI #13: Uneven number of pages
I don’t consider myself a sexual prude but a book where every other chapter is about Bob and Constance, a couple having sex in ways that keep their venereal warts from infecting the other’s intimate parts was very off-putting to me. The other chapters were about three brothers who were searching for their stolen bowling trophies. We learn that the trophies are stored in the apartment below Bob and Constance and guarded by Willard, a paper-mache bird who stands about three feet tall. Weird – yes, but I read on as this is a very short book and I have to admit I wanted to see where this author was going.
It quickly became obvious that while this book poses a number of mysteries, it had no intention of actually solving the mysteries or explaining the who, what, when, why or where of the story. It is whimsical, outrageous, silly and highly stylized and yet, I couldn’t stop myself from reading on.
The subtitle of this book is “a perverse mystery” and perverse seems to be the right word. This short book takes the reader on a very bumpy ride with it’s false leads and contradictory statements. I’ve seen this author’s style described as comic realism which I would say is pretty apt. Willard and His Bowling Trophies blended satire, suspense and comedy in an absurdly unique way that certainly caught my attention.
173pamelad
>172 DeltaQueen50: Your first sentence made me laugh, but I don't plan to read this book! Brautigan sounds a bit too much like Charles Bukowski.
174msf59
Happy Wednesday, Judy. You got me with a BB, with The Last Crossing. The kind of stories I love.
175clue
>172 DeltaQueen50: There was a time I really tried to like Richard Brautigan because he was one of those "you have to read" writers. I had to work too hard at the few books I tried by him though. I finally gave up but I know peope that really enjoy his work.
176DeltaQueen50
>173 pamelad: I knew nothing about the author, Richard Brautigan before I read the book. At first I was shocked, but the humor of the situation made me continue on, and although I wouldn't say I loved the book, I thought it was interesting and a very different read at a time when I needed something very different.
>174 msf59: Hi Mark, I predict that you will love The Last Crossing!
>175 clue: I certainly wouldn't want a steady diet of this author, but he made for an interesting change. I believe he has one more book on the 1,001 List, so I may be reading him again.
>174 msf59: Hi Mark, I predict that you will love The Last Crossing!
>175 clue: I certainly wouldn't want a steady diet of this author, but he made for an interesting change. I believe he has one more book on the 1,001 List, so I may be reading him again.
177DeltaQueen50
174. Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss - 3.8 ★
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
Historical Fiction Challenge: Speculative Historical Fiction
October TIOLI #4: Tagged as Historical Fiction
Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss is a speculative historical novel set in prehistoric times. It follows the life of a young woman, Laena, who, with her younger sister, has to learn to survive on her own when their people are first attacked by enemires and then are lost due to bad leadership. The girls meet a wandering healer who allows them to travel with her, and they eventually decide to settle with the Fisher People who live at the side of a large river.
Laena and her sister become part of the new tribe, and even though Laena chooses a husband, marries and has a child, she always feels a little different from the others. She has dream-visions that warn her of dangers to come, and one vision reoccurs that seems to be showing her a new land, a land of warmth and plenty. There comes a time when one of Laena’s danger visions occurs and she must now use her determination and courage to lead a small group of survivors to safety.
Children of the Ice is this author’s tale of how some of the first people came to cross the land bridge that connected Asia to North America at the end of the last Ice Age. Although not marketed as a YA story, it has a YA feel as the writing seemed simplified. I did enjoy this adventure story although it felt that the author had been strongly influenced by The Clan of the Cave Bear. Children of the Ice is the first book in a series, but I doubt if I will continue on.
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
Historical Fiction Challenge: Speculative Historical Fiction
October TIOLI #4: Tagged as Historical Fiction
Children of the Ice by Charlotte Prentiss is a speculative historical novel set in prehistoric times. It follows the life of a young woman, Laena, who, with her younger sister, has to learn to survive on her own when their people are first attacked by enemires and then are lost due to bad leadership. The girls meet a wandering healer who allows them to travel with her, and they eventually decide to settle with the Fisher People who live at the side of a large river.
Laena and her sister become part of the new tribe, and even though Laena chooses a husband, marries and has a child, she always feels a little different from the others. She has dream-visions that warn her of dangers to come, and one vision reoccurs that seems to be showing her a new land, a land of warmth and plenty. There comes a time when one of Laena’s danger visions occurs and she must now use her determination and courage to lead a small group of survivors to safety.
Children of the Ice is this author’s tale of how some of the first people came to cross the land bridge that connected Asia to North America at the end of the last Ice Age. Although not marketed as a YA story, it has a YA feel as the writing seemed simplified. I did enjoy this adventure story although it felt that the author had been strongly influenced by The Clan of the Cave Bear. Children of the Ice is the first book in a series, but I doubt if I will continue on.
178DeltaQueen50
175. In The Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy Sayers - 3.7 ★
Category: Nick & Nora Charles
October TIOLI #6: The word or image of teeth is on the cover
In The Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy Sayers is a collection of short stories with the first two featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. The next five have Montague Egg as the main character and then the remaining stories are stand-alones. Although at first I was disappointed that Wimsey wasn’t featured in more stories, I did enjoy this collection.
I usually find crime stories don’t succeed as short stories but Sayers has used her intelligence and wit to come up some original ideas. This is the second collection of short stories by Dorothy Sayers that I have read that have featured the endearing Montague Egg, a travelling salesman who has had quite a bit of success in solving mysteries. The stand-alones were more of a mixed bag but some stood out to me, in particular “Milk Bottles” and “The Inspiration of Mr. Budd”.
As with most short story collections, In The Teeth of the Evidence is a mixed bag. Some stories are superior but overall Sayer’s fine writing, pacing and characterizations make this an interesting collection.
Category: Nick & Nora Charles
October TIOLI #6: The word or image of teeth is on the cover
In The Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy Sayers is a collection of short stories with the first two featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. The next five have Montague Egg as the main character and then the remaining stories are stand-alones. Although at first I was disappointed that Wimsey wasn’t featured in more stories, I did enjoy this collection.
I usually find crime stories don’t succeed as short stories but Sayers has used her intelligence and wit to come up some original ideas. This is the second collection of short stories by Dorothy Sayers that I have read that have featured the endearing Montague Egg, a travelling salesman who has had quite a bit of success in solving mysteries. The stand-alones were more of a mixed bag but some stood out to me, in particular “Milk Bottles” and “The Inspiration of Mr. Budd”.
As with most short story collections, In The Teeth of the Evidence is a mixed bag. Some stories are superior but overall Sayer’s fine writing, pacing and characterizations make this an interesting collection.
179DeltaQueen50
176. Bad Axe County by John Galligan - 4.1 ★
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson
October TIOLI #1: Title Words Only Start with A, B, C or X, Y, Z
Bad Axe County by John Galligan is a dark, intense and very powerful look at crime in rural America. Set in the south east corner of Wisconsin, the story unfolds through the actions of three characters. Heidi Kick is the interim sheriff of Bad Axe County. The former sheriff was corrupt and many of his cronies are still part of the sheriff’s department and they do not like having to report to a woman. The crimes in this country are generated by poverty and substance abuse but Heidi has her own demons to contend with as well. Her parents died a number of years ago and their deaths were ruled as a suicide pact but Heidi is positive that they were murdered. Angus Beavers was a one-time local baseball player who, upon hearing of the former sheriff’s death, leaves spring training in Florida and returns home. He never really wanted to leave and sees this as an opportunity to return, if he is able to settle the issues that surround a frozen corpse. Finally there is Pepper Greengrass, a teenage runaway that has been brought to the area by a pimp who has particularly nasty plans for her. Pepper has lots of attitude but doesn’t realize the danger that she has been dragged into.
There is a lot of violence, much of it directed at women but the author gives us a convincing picture of the dark side of life. The writing is vivid and raw, sometimes uneven but certainly it drew this reader in. I found the storyline intriguing and peopled by characters that are well drawn and distinct. The ill treatment of women, the disagreeable comments, the attitude of many who seemed to feel having a woman sheriff was worst than their neighbourhood being a way station for human trafficking made this book a difficult read as I found myself having to take a lot of breaks to get away from the relentless misogyny.
Bad Axe County is a gritty, atmospheric crime story with more than it’s share of sleazy entitled males who have now come up against a female who punches back. The scariest thing about this book is how absolutely real it felt.
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson
October TIOLI #1: Title Words Only Start with A, B, C or X, Y, Z
Bad Axe County by John Galligan is a dark, intense and very powerful look at crime in rural America. Set in the south east corner of Wisconsin, the story unfolds through the actions of three characters. Heidi Kick is the interim sheriff of Bad Axe County. The former sheriff was corrupt and many of his cronies are still part of the sheriff’s department and they do not like having to report to a woman. The crimes in this country are generated by poverty and substance abuse but Heidi has her own demons to contend with as well. Her parents died a number of years ago and their deaths were ruled as a suicide pact but Heidi is positive that they were murdered. Angus Beavers was a one-time local baseball player who, upon hearing of the former sheriff’s death, leaves spring training in Florida and returns home. He never really wanted to leave and sees this as an opportunity to return, if he is able to settle the issues that surround a frozen corpse. Finally there is Pepper Greengrass, a teenage runaway that has been brought to the area by a pimp who has particularly nasty plans for her. Pepper has lots of attitude but doesn’t realize the danger that she has been dragged into.
There is a lot of violence, much of it directed at women but the author gives us a convincing picture of the dark side of life. The writing is vivid and raw, sometimes uneven but certainly it drew this reader in. I found the storyline intriguing and peopled by characters that are well drawn and distinct. The ill treatment of women, the disagreeable comments, the attitude of many who seemed to feel having a woman sheriff was worst than their neighbourhood being a way station for human trafficking made this book a difficult read as I found myself having to take a lot of breaks to get away from the relentless misogyny.
Bad Axe County is a gritty, atmospheric crime story with more than it’s share of sleazy entitled males who have now come up against a female who punches back. The scariest thing about this book is how absolutely real it felt.
180DeltaQueen50
177. Amok by Stefan Zweig - 4.0 ★
Category: Lucy & Ethel
October AuthorCat: Authors in Translation
October TIOLI #1: Title Words Only Start with A, B, C or X, Y, Z
Amok by Stefan Zweig is a short novel that tells the story of a troubled doctor who loses his mind in the tropics. He allows his passion to overtake his sanity and now is paying the price for his folly. The story is narrated by a passenger on a ship who meets the doctor and hears his story late one night. The doctor appears to be in desperate need for human contact and to confess his disturbing secret to someone.
This is a short and powerful story and, although I had very little sympathy for the doctor I was fascinated by his account of how his emotions were overpowered and he ran “amok”, heedless of any restrictions or rules. As he tells his story, we learn that he has a history of being influenced by domineering women but he also seems to be signifying that he has overcome his madness but by the end of the story it becomes clear that he had not.
Amok is a story of hatred, passion and duty as the doctor meets, becomes obsessed yet fails to help an English lady. I found the story quite captivating revealing as it does this man’s decaying values and morality.
Category: Lucy & Ethel
October AuthorCat: Authors in Translation
October TIOLI #1: Title Words Only Start with A, B, C or X, Y, Z
Amok by Stefan Zweig is a short novel that tells the story of a troubled doctor who loses his mind in the tropics. He allows his passion to overtake his sanity and now is paying the price for his folly. The story is narrated by a passenger on a ship who meets the doctor and hears his story late one night. The doctor appears to be in desperate need for human contact and to confess his disturbing secret to someone.
This is a short and powerful story and, although I had very little sympathy for the doctor I was fascinated by his account of how his emotions were overpowered and he ran “amok”, heedless of any restrictions or rules. As he tells his story, we learn that he has a history of being influenced by domineering women but he also seems to be signifying that he has overcome his madness but by the end of the story it becomes clear that he had not.
Amok is a story of hatred, passion and duty as the doctor meets, becomes obsessed yet fails to help an English lady. I found the story quite captivating revealing as it does this man’s decaying values and morality.
181cindydavid4
Ive read some of his stories before, he does pack quite a wallop.Will have to try this one
182Familyhistorian
It looks like you are over your reading slump, Judy. It's perfect weather to stay in and read!
183DeltaQueen50
>181 cindydavid4: I was impressed by his writing and his story telling, I will definitely be looking for more by him.
>182 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I'm still working at it, but I am currently planning my next year's Category Challenge and that is helping to stir my interest in reading.
>182 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I'm still working at it, but I am currently planning my next year's Category Challenge and that is helping to stir my interest in reading.
184DeltaQueen50
178. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - 4.1 ★
Category: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, & Hermione Granger
October TIOLI #3 - Rolling Challenge - Grady Girls
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton is a YA Fantasy story set in the mythical desert country of Miraji. Combining the magic of an Arabian desert tale and the action and grit of the Wild West, this is an exciting story that features Amani, a young woman who dreams of a better life then one that is totally controlled and pushes her into an arranged marriage so when she meets Jin, a mysterious young man who is on the wrong side of the law, she leaves town with him.
Together they face the hardships of the desert and find refuge in the Rebel camp. These rebels are following one of the Sultan’s sons, but this one wants to bring Miraji equality and freedom for everyone, not just the privileged few. Amani finds herself fitting in with these rebels and she also finds out secrets from her own past and why she has always felt different.
I found Rebel of the Sands to be a blend of romance, thrills and magic. This is the first book in a trilogy and manages to introduce many memorable characters. The heroine is witty, impulsive, but vulnerable and her love interest, Jin is intelligent, caring and secretive. Together they make an interesting pair as they grow closer while fighting a wide variety of enemies and support a rebel prince in his dream of making their homeland a better place.
Category: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, & Hermione Granger
October TIOLI #3 - Rolling Challenge - Grady Girls
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton is a YA Fantasy story set in the mythical desert country of Miraji. Combining the magic of an Arabian desert tale and the action and grit of the Wild West, this is an exciting story that features Amani, a young woman who dreams of a better life then one that is totally controlled and pushes her into an arranged marriage so when she meets Jin, a mysterious young man who is on the wrong side of the law, she leaves town with him.
Together they face the hardships of the desert and find refuge in the Rebel camp. These rebels are following one of the Sultan’s sons, but this one wants to bring Miraji equality and freedom for everyone, not just the privileged few. Amani finds herself fitting in with these rebels and she also finds out secrets from her own past and why she has always felt different.
I found Rebel of the Sands to be a blend of romance, thrills and magic. This is the first book in a trilogy and manages to introduce many memorable characters. The heroine is witty, impulsive, but vulnerable and her love interest, Jin is intelligent, caring and secretive. Together they make an interesting pair as they grow closer while fighting a wide variety of enemies and support a rebel prince in his dream of making their homeland a better place.
185Tess_W
>180 DeltaQueen50: I have several of his books on my shelf (thanks to Birgit), but they are doorstops and I haven't had the gumption to read them, yet! Perhaps 2023 is the year!
186DeltaQueen50
>185 Tess_W: I dipped my toe in with a very short read but I now find I would be willing to tackle something longer by him.
187msf59
Happy Friday, Judy. I love Stefan Zweig but have not read anything by him in years. Maybe, I will give Amok a try.
188DeltaQueen50
>187 msf59: It's a quick read, Mark, but it definitely packs a punch!
189DeltaQueen50
179. Ghost Run by J. L. Bourne - 4.0 ★
Category: Godzilla & King Kong
October TIOLI #2: Read a Scary Book
Ghost Run by J. L. Bourne is the 4th and final entry in a zombie series that I have been enjoying for the last few years. The author has a strong military background so the main character in these books is a very capable survivor with a good knowledge of weapons and survival skills. The first book opened in Texas with the zombie apocalypse and we have followed along as he rescued a number of other people and worked on keeping them safe. Now he is part of a small colony that has settled on one of the Florida Keys and he is constantly working to improve their lifestyle and keep them safe, especially his wife and baby daughter.
In this last book he is out on a mission to gather supplies when his radio picks up a transmission from Atlanta, Georgia. The voice announces that this is a group of doctors and scientists that have a cure but are in serious danger of getting overrun. The bulk of the book is how our hero gets himself to Atlanta in time. Along the way he battles zombies, crazed humans and the elements.
This has been a fun series with the right amount of suspense to keep the reader glued to the pages. Gripping and intelligent, this is a series that will appeal to the fans of “The Walking Dead”. I am sorry to see it end, but I am looking forward to seeing where this author will go next.
Category: Godzilla & King Kong
October TIOLI #2: Read a Scary Book
Ghost Run by J. L. Bourne is the 4th and final entry in a zombie series that I have been enjoying for the last few years. The author has a strong military background so the main character in these books is a very capable survivor with a good knowledge of weapons and survival skills. The first book opened in Texas with the zombie apocalypse and we have followed along as he rescued a number of other people and worked on keeping them safe. Now he is part of a small colony that has settled on one of the Florida Keys and he is constantly working to improve their lifestyle and keep them safe, especially his wife and baby daughter.
In this last book he is out on a mission to gather supplies when his radio picks up a transmission from Atlanta, Georgia. The voice announces that this is a group of doctors and scientists that have a cure but are in serious danger of getting overrun. The bulk of the book is how our hero gets himself to Atlanta in time. Along the way he battles zombies, crazed humans and the elements.
This has been a fun series with the right amount of suspense to keep the reader glued to the pages. Gripping and intelligent, this is a series that will appeal to the fans of “The Walking Dead”. I am sorry to see it end, but I am looking forward to seeing where this author will go next.
190humouress
>184 DeltaQueen50: Hmm; this sounds like City of Brass but more accessible.
191DeltaQueen50
>190 humouress: I haven't read City of Brass yet but it's on my list! One of the goals I am planning on setting for myself next year is no new series until I finish off some of the hundreds I am currently reading! Rebel of the Sands is definitely a YA fantasy so is probably much lighter in content than an adult orientated fantasy.
192DeltaQueen50
180. The Thirteen by Susie Moloney - 3.8 ★
Category: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
October ScaredyKit: Witches, Demons & Evil Spirits
October TIOLI #2: Read a Scary Book
The Thirteen by Canadian author Susie Moloney is a paranormal thriller about a group of witches who live in a suburb called Haven Woods, a place that is described as the perfect place to raise a family. Paula was raised there and looks back at that time as a happy time but she seems to have forgotten some of the weird things that happened then. There was a price for these witches to pay when they made a pact with a demon, and offering him human sacrifices, even of their own sons and husbands was expected.
Paula and her daughter return to Haven Woods as Paula’s mother is ill and has been placed in the local hospital. This visit is also an opportunity for Paula to decide what the next step in her life will be, as she just lost her job and her twelve year old daughter Rowan, has just been expelled from school. Little does she know that coming home is possibly the worst thing she could have done. The local witches have plans for her and her daughter.
The Thirteen isn’t a really scary book but it is very creepy. Witches, spells, magic and horror combine in this dark story and show how far some women are willing to go to make life better for themselves and their families. I probably would have enjoyed this book more if I had been able to simply accept what was going on but I found I had a lot of questions that for the most part went unanswered.
Category: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
October ScaredyKit: Witches, Demons & Evil Spirits
October TIOLI #2: Read a Scary Book
The Thirteen by Canadian author Susie Moloney is a paranormal thriller about a group of witches who live in a suburb called Haven Woods, a place that is described as the perfect place to raise a family. Paula was raised there and looks back at that time as a happy time but she seems to have forgotten some of the weird things that happened then. There was a price for these witches to pay when they made a pact with a demon, and offering him human sacrifices, even of their own sons and husbands was expected.
Paula and her daughter return to Haven Woods as Paula’s mother is ill and has been placed in the local hospital. This visit is also an opportunity for Paula to decide what the next step in her life will be, as she just lost her job and her twelve year old daughter Rowan, has just been expelled from school. Little does she know that coming home is possibly the worst thing she could have done. The local witches have plans for her and her daughter.
The Thirteen isn’t a really scary book but it is very creepy. Witches, spells, magic and horror combine in this dark story and show how far some women are willing to go to make life better for themselves and their families. I probably would have enjoyed this book more if I had been able to simply accept what was going on but I found I had a lot of questions that for the most part went unanswered.
193MissBrangwen
>153 DeltaQueen50: A BB for me as well!
>178 DeltaQueen50: I have yet to read anything by Dorothy L. Sayers!
>180 DeltaQueen50: I really liked Stefan Zweig's Schachnovelle - I believe there are a few English translations, among them Chess Story or simply Chess. But he has written so much more!
>178 DeltaQueen50: I have yet to read anything by Dorothy L. Sayers!
>180 DeltaQueen50: I really liked Stefan Zweig's Schachnovelle - I believe there are a few English translations, among them Chess Story or simply Chess. But he has written so much more!
194humouress
>191 DeltaQueen50: Alrighty. BB'ed
195DeltaQueen50
>193 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy The Royal Nanny when you get to it. I heartily recommend Dorothy Sayers although I would read the Lord Peter Wimsey books in order as there is a progression in his personal life. Chess Story is on my radar!
>194 humouress: Hope you enjoy - I am looking forward to reading #2 next year.
>194 humouress: Hope you enjoy - I am looking forward to reading #2 next year.
196MissBrangwen
>195 DeltaQueen50: I heartily recommend Dorothy Sayers although I would read the Lord Peter Wimsey books in order as there is a progression in his personal life.
Thank you, this is very useful to know!
Thank you, this is very useful to know!
197MissBrangwen
...oh, and I wanted to tell you that I got a BB for the writer Adam Shoalts in your thread last year, and I gave his book Alone Against The North to my husband as a present. He read it recently and absolutely loved it. It was not the one you read (Beyond The Trees), because I thought that Alone Against The North would be a bit more interesting to my husband, but I am sure that Beyond The Trees will be one of my future presents seeing that my husband enjoyed Shoalt's writing so much and read the book within 24 hours.
I am going to read it, too, but I am waiting for the right mood!
I am going to read it, too, but I am waiting for the right mood!
198christina_reads
>184 DeltaQueen50: I must have had this review in the back of my mind when I went to a library sale this weekend, because I picked up my own copy of Rebel of the Sands! The book's first paragraph is what sold me:
They said the only folks who belonged in Deadshot after dark were the ones who were up to no good. I wasn't up to no good. Then again, I wasn't exactly up to no bad neither.
They said the only folks who belonged in Deadshot after dark were the ones who were up to no good. I wasn't up to no good. Then again, I wasn't exactly up to no bad neither.
199cindydavid4
>197 MissBrangwen: beyond the trees touchstone is cute but not the right one :)
200DeltaQueen50
>197 MissBrangwen: I am very glad that your husband enjoyed the Adam Shoalts book that he read, I see my library has that book of his so I will have to pick it up for myself one of these days!
>198 christina_reads: I will look forward to seeing what you think of it, Christina. I hope to get to the next book in the trilogy next year.
>199 cindydavid4: LOL! That is a cute book cover but not the Adam Shoalts one!
>198 christina_reads: I will look forward to seeing what you think of it, Christina. I hope to get to the next book in the trilogy next year.
>199 cindydavid4: LOL! That is a cute book cover but not the Adam Shoalts one!
201DeltaQueen50
181. The Aspern Papers by Henry James - 3.9 ★
Category: Friends
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
The Aspern Papers is a novella by Henry James that was originally published in 1888. This work is based on the true story about a famous poet’s private papers being held by his muse. In this piece the nameless narrator, an American literary scholar, goes to Venice to find Juliana Bordereau, an old lover of Jeffrey Aspern, a famous but deceased American poet. Pretending to have an interest in Miss Bordereau’s spinster niece, Tita, he suggests that he should lodge with them at their villa in the hopes of getting his hands on the personal letters and papers left by Jeffrey Aspern.
James has created a very interesting story from this situation but since it is such a short story, I don’t want to give too many plot details away. But as the obsessed narrator works his deception and manipulates the lonely and sensitive Tita, we are wondering exactly what he will do in order to get the documents. At the same time, one does have to consider the narrator’s opinion – that Juliana has a moral responsibility to share this celebrated poet’s work with his admirers.
I really enjoyed The Aspern Papers and in particular was very satisfied by how the author ended this story. I have now read three of Henry James’ novellas and have liked all of them, so it is probably time that I tackled one of his full length novels.
Category: Friends
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
The Aspern Papers is a novella by Henry James that was originally published in 1888. This work is based on the true story about a famous poet’s private papers being held by his muse. In this piece the nameless narrator, an American literary scholar, goes to Venice to find Juliana Bordereau, an old lover of Jeffrey Aspern, a famous but deceased American poet. Pretending to have an interest in Miss Bordereau’s spinster niece, Tita, he suggests that he should lodge with them at their villa in the hopes of getting his hands on the personal letters and papers left by Jeffrey Aspern.
James has created a very interesting story from this situation but since it is such a short story, I don’t want to give too many plot details away. But as the obsessed narrator works his deception and manipulates the lonely and sensitive Tita, we are wondering exactly what he will do in order to get the documents. At the same time, one does have to consider the narrator’s opinion – that Juliana has a moral responsibility to share this celebrated poet’s work with his admirers.
I really enjoyed The Aspern Papers and in particular was very satisfied by how the author ended this story. I have now read three of Henry James’ novellas and have liked all of them, so it is probably time that I tackled one of his full length novels.
202MissBrangwen
>199 cindydavid4: Oh no, not again! I fixed it.
>201 DeltaQueen50: This sounds very good, and I love the cover! I have only read The Bostonians so far and it was ok, but not my favourite. I want to read more of Henry James, though.
>201 DeltaQueen50: This sounds very good, and I love the cover! I have only read The Bostonians so far and it was ok, but not my favourite. I want to read more of Henry James, though.
203DeltaQueen50
>202 MissBrangwen: I have always been nervous of Henry James as he can be very wordy! But I have now read the novellas The Aspern Papers, The Turn of the Screw and Daisy Miller and liked all of them for various reasons. I think I am ready to pick up a full length novel.
I have What Masie Knew but I might like to start with Portrait of a Lady or Washington Square.
I have What Masie Knew but I might like to start with Portrait of a Lady or Washington Square.
204DeltaQueen50
182. Canadian Christmas Traditions by DeeAnn Mandryk - 3.5 ★
Category: Friends
November TIOLI #4: The Word Tradition is in the Title
With it’s 10 distinct provinces and three territories, Canada is truly a multi-cultured country. Our English, French, Acadian, Scandinavian and mid-European ancestors immigrated to Canada to find a new life, but to this new life, they brought their own traditions and customs. We have also received immigrants from Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean, again all bringing their cultures to the mix. Of course, the original people, the North American aboriginals also have traditions that many of us have adopted. So to define Canadian culture we must look at our rich history and create a varied tapestry by combining the customs, recipes, songs and stories into a unique blend that we define as Canadian. No season is more strongly represented in this tapestry than that of the Christmas Season.
Canadian Christmas Traditions by DeeAnn Mandryk gives us a history of some of the different Christmas traditions that we have adopted as our own. Starting with chapters that list and discuss our Christmas heritage we read about Christmas trees, ornaments, Yule Logs, origin of the Advent, Christmas candles and lighting, and the uniquely Commonwealth holiday of Boxing Day and many more. The author has also included a couple of chapters dedicated to Canadian Festive recipes.
I tend to be the grinch in our family, finding Christmas a lot of work and disruption. I was hoping this book would spark my interest in the festive season but although I found the book interesting, it hasn’t really fired up my enthusiasm for the upcoming holiday.
Category: Friends
November TIOLI #4: The Word Tradition is in the Title
With it’s 10 distinct provinces and three territories, Canada is truly a multi-cultured country. Our English, French, Acadian, Scandinavian and mid-European ancestors immigrated to Canada to find a new life, but to this new life, they brought their own traditions and customs. We have also received immigrants from Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean, again all bringing their cultures to the mix. Of course, the original people, the North American aboriginals also have traditions that many of us have adopted. So to define Canadian culture we must look at our rich history and create a varied tapestry by combining the customs, recipes, songs and stories into a unique blend that we define as Canadian. No season is more strongly represented in this tapestry than that of the Christmas Season.
Canadian Christmas Traditions by DeeAnn Mandryk gives us a history of some of the different Christmas traditions that we have adopted as our own. Starting with chapters that list and discuss our Christmas heritage we read about Christmas trees, ornaments, Yule Logs, origin of the Advent, Christmas candles and lighting, and the uniquely Commonwealth holiday of Boxing Day and many more. The author has also included a couple of chapters dedicated to Canadian Festive recipes.
I tend to be the grinch in our family, finding Christmas a lot of work and disruption. I was hoping this book would spark my interest in the festive season but although I found the book interesting, it hasn’t really fired up my enthusiasm for the upcoming holiday.
205DeltaQueen50
183. Little Deaths by Emma Flint - 5.0 ★
Category: Patience & Fortitude
November TIOLI #2: At least one of the author's names begins with a vowel
Little Deaths by Emma Flint is a novel based on a real life murder case. It was a difficult read as the murder victims were two young children but at the same time, it was so well written that I couldn’t put it down. Set in the summer of 1965, Ruth Malone, wakes up to find that her two children are missing. After searching the neighbourhood and calling her separated husband to ensure the children are not with him, the police are called. Unfortunately, by mid-day they find the first body and a few days later the second child’s body is discovered. Ruth is a very private person and holds her emotions deep inside herself but unfortunately this made the police feel that she didn’t show enough grief. They take a closer look at her, discovering some empty liquor bottles in her garbage, and love letters from more than one man in her bedroom, with this scanty information about her the main detective decides that she murdered her children. From then on the police only looked at her and didn’t follow any other leads.
A great deal of the story is told through the eyes of Pete Wonicke, a reporter. This is his first big assignment and at first he goes along with the convenient solution that everyone seems to be pointing at. But as he continues with the case, he begins to have serious doubts as to Ruth’s guilt. He discovers that some witnesses are being manipulated, and others seem to be actually lying. The police do arrest her however, and she is put on trial.
This story mirrors the true life case of Alice Crimmons but whereas both Ruth and Alice always maintained their innocence, this fictional account does give us a plausible answer. The author has delivered an excellent story about a woman who was judged guilty due to her lifestyle and her detached manner. Little Deaths is an atmospheric and wrenching read that totally engrossed me.
Category: Patience & Fortitude
November TIOLI #2: At least one of the author's names begins with a vowel
Little Deaths by Emma Flint is a novel based on a real life murder case. It was a difficult read as the murder victims were two young children but at the same time, it was so well written that I couldn’t put it down. Set in the summer of 1965, Ruth Malone, wakes up to find that her two children are missing. After searching the neighbourhood and calling her separated husband to ensure the children are not with him, the police are called. Unfortunately, by mid-day they find the first body and a few days later the second child’s body is discovered. Ruth is a very private person and holds her emotions deep inside herself but unfortunately this made the police feel that she didn’t show enough grief. They take a closer look at her, discovering some empty liquor bottles in her garbage, and love letters from more than one man in her bedroom, with this scanty information about her the main detective decides that she murdered her children. From then on the police only looked at her and didn’t follow any other leads.
A great deal of the story is told through the eyes of Pete Wonicke, a reporter. This is his first big assignment and at first he goes along with the convenient solution that everyone seems to be pointing at. But as he continues with the case, he begins to have serious doubts as to Ruth’s guilt. He discovers that some witnesses are being manipulated, and others seem to be actually lying. The police do arrest her however, and she is put on trial.
This story mirrors the true life case of Alice Crimmons but whereas both Ruth and Alice always maintained their innocence, this fictional account does give us a plausible answer. The author has delivered an excellent story about a woman who was judged guilty due to her lifestyle and her detached manner. Little Deaths is an atmospheric and wrenching read that totally engrossed me.
206DeltaQueen50
184. Gun Love by Jennifer Clements - 4.0 ★
Category: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
November CatWomen: Deals with Women's Issues
November TIOLI #8: Author's Name has Spelling Variations
Tackling the subjects of homelessness, poverty and the prevalence of guns in America, Gun Love by Jennifer Clement is a coming-of-age story that features Pearl, a young girl who has never had much security in her life. She and her mother have lived in a car for all of Pearl’s fourteen years. Her mother was a single teenage mother who took her baby and disappeared. They live at the edge of a rundown trailer park in central Florida.
Despite, the difficult way that they live, Pearl and her mother are very close. They have made friends with the residents of the small trailer park but danger is all around them, in the form of guns. Guns, stolen or bought, are brought to the trailer park and are prepared to be run into Mexico. The sound of guns being fired is not a strange sound to Pearl as often hunters come to the river by the trailer park to hunt alligators. But when gun violence reaches into Pearl’s life and makes a drastic change, she needs to find the strength to build herself a new life.
This fairy-tale like story of gun violence and poverty is a quiet tragedy that leaves the reader with questions still unanswered, but with a certain amount of hope. The book is highly stylized, very inventive and has touches of magical realism that made both the story and characters seem slightly unreal. This is the second book by this author that I have read and I have loved both books. I will certainly be watching for more by this author.
Category: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
November CatWomen: Deals with Women's Issues
November TIOLI #8: Author's Name has Spelling Variations
Tackling the subjects of homelessness, poverty and the prevalence of guns in America, Gun Love by Jennifer Clement is a coming-of-age story that features Pearl, a young girl who has never had much security in her life. She and her mother have lived in a car for all of Pearl’s fourteen years. Her mother was a single teenage mother who took her baby and disappeared. They live at the edge of a rundown trailer park in central Florida.
Despite, the difficult way that they live, Pearl and her mother are very close. They have made friends with the residents of the small trailer park but danger is all around them, in the form of guns. Guns, stolen or bought, are brought to the trailer park and are prepared to be run into Mexico. The sound of guns being fired is not a strange sound to Pearl as often hunters come to the river by the trailer park to hunt alligators. But when gun violence reaches into Pearl’s life and makes a drastic change, she needs to find the strength to build herself a new life.
This fairy-tale like story of gun violence and poverty is a quiet tragedy that leaves the reader with questions still unanswered, but with a certain amount of hope. The book is highly stylized, very inventive and has touches of magical realism that made both the story and characters seem slightly unreal. This is the second book by this author that I have read and I have loved both books. I will certainly be watching for more by this author.
207DeltaQueen50
185. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman - 3.4 ★
Category: Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock
Around the Year in 52 Books: A Time Related Word in the Title
November SFFFKit: Award Winners
November TIOLI #11: Another Book Shares the Title
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman was originally published in 1974, and is a military science fiction novel that tells the story of soldiers who are fighting an interstellar war against aliens that they call Taurans. The book has won many awards including the Hugo and Nebula for best novel.
The author is himself a Vietnam vet and it is obvious that this war exerted a strong influence on his writing. Although this story is full of high-tech space suits, scientific space terms and travelling to various planets at light speed, it is also the story of battle weary soldiers who are far from home and involved in an endless conflict. The feeling of having their life completely overtaken by the army and having to follow orders that could more than possibility lead to their doom is offset by their discovery that they no longer are comfortable in a non-military life. Due to time differences, once a soldier has spent a few years in space, he returns to a very different earth than they knew. Military personnel can reach vast ages as they don’t age in space.
I was expecting to love this book, but in fact, I actually struggled to finish it. I did enjoy following the main character through his military life, but overall I found the book hasn’t survived the test of time and hasn’t aged well. I also found the author’s view of how Earth would evolve over the years very depressing. I’m happy to have finally read this classic as it’s influence is still felt strongly in today’s science fiction, but I was hoping for a faster moving, more exciting story.
Category: Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock
Around the Year in 52 Books: A Time Related Word in the Title
November SFFFKit: Award Winners
November TIOLI #11: Another Book Shares the Title
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman was originally published in 1974, and is a military science fiction novel that tells the story of soldiers who are fighting an interstellar war against aliens that they call Taurans. The book has won many awards including the Hugo and Nebula for best novel.
The author is himself a Vietnam vet and it is obvious that this war exerted a strong influence on his writing. Although this story is full of high-tech space suits, scientific space terms and travelling to various planets at light speed, it is also the story of battle weary soldiers who are far from home and involved in an endless conflict. The feeling of having their life completely overtaken by the army and having to follow orders that could more than possibility lead to their doom is offset by their discovery that they no longer are comfortable in a non-military life. Due to time differences, once a soldier has spent a few years in space, he returns to a very different earth than they knew. Military personnel can reach vast ages as they don’t age in space.
I was expecting to love this book, but in fact, I actually struggled to finish it. I did enjoy following the main character through his military life, but overall I found the book hasn’t survived the test of time and hasn’t aged well. I also found the author’s view of how Earth would evolve over the years very depressing. I’m happy to have finally read this classic as it’s influence is still felt strongly in today’s science fiction, but I was hoping for a faster moving, more exciting story.
208MissBrangwen
>203 DeltaQueen50: I have The Portrait of a Lady and started it a few years ago, but I stopped after a few chapters. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the right time for it. I still mean to get back to it, though.
>205 DeltaQueen50: Another BB for me! I just saw that Unsolved True Crimes will be one of the prompts for next year's MysteryKIT, and I don't have anything for that on my shelves. This one might fit!
>205 DeltaQueen50: Another BB for me! I just saw that Unsolved True Crimes will be one of the prompts for next year's MysteryKIT, and I don't have anything for that on my shelves. This one might fit!
209BLBera
I've enjoyed Jennifer Clement, and Gun Love sounds like a good one. Onto the list it goes.
The Emma Flint book sounds good as well.
I'm not a huge James fan, but this novella sounds like one I might like.
Great comments, Judy.
The Emma Flint book sounds good as well.
I'm not a huge James fan, but this novella sounds like one I might like.
Great comments, Judy.
210DeltaQueen50
>208 MissBrangwen: Little Deaths is an excellent read and I think would make a great choice for the "Unsolved True Crimes" MysteryCat. I can certainly see that Henry James is an author that the reader needs to be in the right mindset for. I will get to him eventually but I'm not going to rush it.
>209 BLBera: Hi Beth. I didn't love Gun Love quite as much as I did Prayers for the Stolen but still, it was a great read and I definitely recommend it!
>209 BLBera: Hi Beth. I didn't love Gun Love quite as much as I did Prayers for the Stolen but still, it was a great read and I definitely recommend it!
211DeltaQueen50
186. The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit - 4.0 ★
Category: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
November AuthorCat: Set Against a Backdrop of Real Events
November RandomKit: A City in the Title
November TIOLI #8: Author's Name has Spelling Variations
The Wives of Los Alamos tells the stories of the women who moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to be with their scientist husbands as they were working on the Manhattan Project during World War II. The story is told in a unique manner as the author has woven the various voices into one chorus so we experience all their emotions and personalities at once. I have experienced this first person plural style once before, in the novel The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. In both cases, this style is quite effective and engaging, but it does keep the characters at arms length and I did find myself getting a little tired of it by the end of the book.
Writing in this manner, Nesbit is well able to show both the similarities and the differences between the various wives, as some loved living in the remote New Mexican desert while others hated it. The women were kept pretty much in the dark as to what exactly their husbands were working on and the secrecy of the project was a dominant force in their lives. Although she changed many of the names, the characters were based on real people and the information passed along was accurate. Once the atom bomb was dropped, the mixed feelings of the wives is simply stated, “We felt ashamed, we felt proud, we felt confused”.
The Wives of Los Alamos is a poetic yet real look at the complicated and secretive life that these women shared for three years. This is a story of community rather than one about individuals and the author has successfully given us a panoramic view of this strange desert outpost that has such a significant history.
Category: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
November AuthorCat: Set Against a Backdrop of Real Events
November RandomKit: A City in the Title
November TIOLI #8: Author's Name has Spelling Variations
The Wives of Los Alamos tells the stories of the women who moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to be with their scientist husbands as they were working on the Manhattan Project during World War II. The story is told in a unique manner as the author has woven the various voices into one chorus so we experience all their emotions and personalities at once. I have experienced this first person plural style once before, in the novel The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. In both cases, this style is quite effective and engaging, but it does keep the characters at arms length and I did find myself getting a little tired of it by the end of the book.
Writing in this manner, Nesbit is well able to show both the similarities and the differences between the various wives, as some loved living in the remote New Mexican desert while others hated it. The women were kept pretty much in the dark as to what exactly their husbands were working on and the secrecy of the project was a dominant force in their lives. Although she changed many of the names, the characters were based on real people and the information passed along was accurate. Once the atom bomb was dropped, the mixed feelings of the wives is simply stated, “We felt ashamed, we felt proud, we felt confused”.
The Wives of Los Alamos is a poetic yet real look at the complicated and secretive life that these women shared for three years. This is a story of community rather than one about individuals and the author has successfully given us a panoramic view of this strange desert outpost that has such a significant history.
212dudes22
I'm not sure I've ever read a book written in first person plural. I looked at a few lists and one said the book I'm reading now - Us Against You - is first person plural so I'll have to pay more attention and check it out.
213threadnsong
I had a Henry James novel on my shelf for the longest time. It's either still there or I passed it along. I feel a whole lot better about reading him with your recommendations and those of your many LT friends.
Has your reading slump sort of stopped? It looks like you've read some very interesting books through October, and you've even finished some of the November challenges.
Has your reading slump sort of stopped? It looks like you've read some very interesting books through October, and you've even finished some of the November challenges.
214DeltaQueen50
>212 dudes22: I'm not totally sure of my terms, but the first person plural books that I have read had no "I" at all, it was all "We". This makes the characters rather remote.
>213 threadnsong: I think I have gotten past my slump. I am a lot more interested in the book that I am reading although I have to admit, I've been spending a lot of time lately planning my next year's challenge. Maybe all this planning has helped get me interested in reading again.
>213 threadnsong: I think I have gotten past my slump. I am a lot more interested in the book that I am reading although I have to admit, I've been spending a lot of time lately planning my next year's challenge. Maybe all this planning has helped get me interested in reading again.
215humouress
>214 DeltaQueen50: Yes, I can see that reading 'we' would make it feel a bit weird.
216dudes22
>214 DeltaQueen50: - I paid attention last night when I picked up Us Against You and it is written in first person plural. In fact, the first sentence I read started with "we". I think Backman has done some good character development though as I'm rather invested in the characters and what happens to them.
217DeltaQueen50
>215 humouress: It is an interesting style, and takes a little adjusting to get used to it.
>216 dudes22: I remember loving both Beartown and Us Against You so obviously the writing style didn't jump out at me the way it did in The Wives of Los Alamos.
>216 dudes22: I remember loving both Beartown and Us Against You so obviously the writing style didn't jump out at me the way it did in The Wives of Los Alamos.
218VivienneR
>214 DeltaQueen50: First person plural is uncommon. It was used very effectively in The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka because it showed that the issues were widespread, and not just for the characters in the book. But it takes a bit of getting used to.
219DeltaQueen50
>218 VivienneR: I think the author's intent with The Wives of Los Alamos was to show the difficulties that all the wives had to deal with, even though they all dealt with things differently. The group voice worked very well in this book, too.
220DeltaQueen50
187. Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne - 3.3 ★
Category: Godzilla & King Kong
November TIOLI #2: At Least One of the Author's Names Starts with a Vowel
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne is the first book in a trilogy about a group of Colorado school children caught up in an apocalyptic event brought on by climate change. With giant hailstones, world-wide tsunamis and earthquakes that lead to a horrific chemical spill, the earth has changed forever. The book opens with the children on their way to school, but when giant hailstones start falling and crushing people and vehicles, their bus driver steers the bus right into a giant superstore.
The bus driver goes looking for help and the children settle into the store. The older ones looking after the younger ones. They are actually lucky that the store has locked itself up with metal grills as they are relatively safe from outside looters and have supplies to last them for months. The author keeps the story moving along at a quick pace as this group of 5 to 17 year old adjust to surviving without any adults to help them. They seal the store completely to keep from breathing in the harmful chemicals that affect different blood types in various ways, but when they learn that there is a rescue mission operating out of Denver, they decide to repair the school bus and attempt the two day drive.
At the last minute some of the group decide not to go, as they are the ones who the chemicals turn into raving monsters, so at the end of the book, 9 leave and 5 stay.
Monument 14 is definitely a book that will resonate with fans of survival stories. This is a rapid read about a weather related catastrophe and how it affected this small group of children trapped inside a super-store. The YA designation meant that there was a fair bit of teenage angst, and I was quite disappointed in how some of the characters, in particular the three older girls, were portrayed. But the survival aspect and fast moving action made this a quick and fun read so I was able to overlook most of the writing flaws.
Category: Godzilla & King Kong
November TIOLI #2: At Least One of the Author's Names Starts with a Vowel
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne is the first book in a trilogy about a group of Colorado school children caught up in an apocalyptic event brought on by climate change. With giant hailstones, world-wide tsunamis and earthquakes that lead to a horrific chemical spill, the earth has changed forever. The book opens with the children on their way to school, but when giant hailstones start falling and crushing people and vehicles, their bus driver steers the bus right into a giant superstore.
The bus driver goes looking for help and the children settle into the store. The older ones looking after the younger ones. They are actually lucky that the store has locked itself up with metal grills as they are relatively safe from outside looters and have supplies to last them for months. The author keeps the story moving along at a quick pace as this group of 5 to 17 year old adjust to surviving without any adults to help them. They seal the store completely to keep from breathing in the harmful chemicals that affect different blood types in various ways, but when they learn that there is a rescue mission operating out of Denver, they decide to repair the school bus and attempt the two day drive.
At the last minute some of the group decide not to go, as they are the ones who the chemicals turn into raving monsters, so at the end of the book, 9 leave and 5 stay.
Monument 14 is definitely a book that will resonate with fans of survival stories. This is a rapid read about a weather related catastrophe and how it affected this small group of children trapped inside a super-store. The YA designation meant that there was a fair bit of teenage angst, and I was quite disappointed in how some of the characters, in particular the three older girls, were portrayed. But the survival aspect and fast moving action made this a quick and fun read so I was able to overlook most of the writing flaws.
221DeltaQueen50
188. Want You Dead by Peter James - 4.0 ★
Category: Starsky & Hutch
November TIOLI #1: A Favorite Author
Want You Dead by Peter James is the 10th book in his Roy Grace series, and this one finds Roy and his team searching for an obsessive psychopath who is ruthlessly destroying everything and everyone in his ex-girlfriend’s life. It’s only a matter of time until he comes directly after her. The secondary story involving Roy’s now declared dead first wife, finally comes to a head and I am sure there will be consequences to deal with in the next book.
The stalker story was dark and intense and I found it a little unbelievable as this stalker seemed a little too good at his obsession even though at the end of the book I read an author’s note that said that this story was inspired by a real life case. On the other hand, as with all of Peter James’ books, it was a dark and intense story, a definite page turner. I am not sure where I stand with the secondary story, I was hoping for a big reveal when his ex-wife finally declared herself but at this point I think Roy will simply have to deal with the fact that he has another son, one who has been brought up in Germany and doesn’t know anything about his father.
I am a huge fan of this series. His life changed a lot in this book with his marriage to Cleo, adjusting to their baby son, and a new boss who is a former enemy but there is more change on the horizon and I look forward to finding out what is next in the life of Roy Grace.
Category: Starsky & Hutch
November TIOLI #1: A Favorite Author
Want You Dead by Peter James is the 10th book in his Roy Grace series, and this one finds Roy and his team searching for an obsessive psychopath who is ruthlessly destroying everything and everyone in his ex-girlfriend’s life. It’s only a matter of time until he comes directly after her. The secondary story involving Roy’s now declared dead first wife, finally comes to a head and I am sure there will be consequences to deal with in the next book.
The stalker story was dark and intense and I found it a little unbelievable as this stalker seemed a little too good at his obsession even though at the end of the book I read an author’s note that said that this story was inspired by a real life case. On the other hand, as with all of Peter James’ books, it was a dark and intense story, a definite page turner. I am not sure where I stand with the secondary story, I was hoping for a big reveal when his ex-wife finally declared herself but at this point I think Roy will simply have to deal with the fact that he has another son, one who has been brought up in Germany and doesn’t know anything about his father.
I am a huge fan of this series. His life changed a lot in this book with his marriage to Cleo, adjusting to their baby son, and a new boss who is a former enemy but there is more change on the horizon and I look forward to finding out what is next in the life of Roy Grace.
222DeltaQueen50
189. The Empty Glass by J. I. Baker - 3.0 ★
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
Around the Year in 52 Books: Connection to Glass
November Reading Thru Time: Endings
November AuthorCat: Set Against A Backdrop of Real Events
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
I was looking forward The Empty Glass by J. I. Baker. Dealing with the death of Marilyn Monroe in August of 1962, it mixes the actuality of the event with a noir novel that features Deputy Coroner Ben Fitzgerald who believes that Marilyn’s death was murder and is now being covered up. Unfortunately, the delivery of the story was poorly done and I found myself wanting to abandon the book but since it fulfilled a number of challenges for me, I persisted.
The author did raise some interesting questions such as why did it take 5 hours before the police were contacted, who were all of the people that were in her home when the police finally arrived and why did the body appear staged? The author brings Miss Monroe’s association with the Kennedys into the story along with the corruption of the LAPD, and speculation about the role of the Mafia or possibly the FBI in her death. It seems that every conspiracy theory regarding Marilyn Monroe was brought out and held up to the light at one time or another.
I love a good Hollywood style mystery but unfortunately this quest to unravel the various discrepancies surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s “overdose” was difficult to get into and it was just about impossible to sympathize with any of the characters. The author was going for a hard hitting noir style, but he missed the mark and the result was rather a mess.
Category: Elizabeth & Jane Bennet
Around the Year in 52 Books: Connection to Glass
November Reading Thru Time: Endings
November AuthorCat: Set Against A Backdrop of Real Events
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
I was looking forward The Empty Glass by J. I. Baker. Dealing with the death of Marilyn Monroe in August of 1962, it mixes the actuality of the event with a noir novel that features Deputy Coroner Ben Fitzgerald who believes that Marilyn’s death was murder and is now being covered up. Unfortunately, the delivery of the story was poorly done and I found myself wanting to abandon the book but since it fulfilled a number of challenges for me, I persisted.
The author did raise some interesting questions such as why did it take 5 hours before the police were contacted, who were all of the people that were in her home when the police finally arrived and why did the body appear staged? The author brings Miss Monroe’s association with the Kennedys into the story along with the corruption of the LAPD, and speculation about the role of the Mafia or possibly the FBI in her death. It seems that every conspiracy theory regarding Marilyn Monroe was brought out and held up to the light at one time or another.
I love a good Hollywood style mystery but unfortunately this quest to unravel the various discrepancies surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s “overdose” was difficult to get into and it was just about impossible to sympathize with any of the characters. The author was going for a hard hitting noir style, but he missed the mark and the result was rather a mess.
223msf59
Happy Saturday, Judy. I hope all is well, in BC! I have wanted to read The Wives of Los Alamos for years now. I will have to get to it. Enjoy your weekend.
224DeltaQueen50
>223 msf59: Hi Mark. Everything is good here, hope same is for you. No big plans for the weekend so plenty of time to enjoy some reading!
225DeltaQueen50
190. Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe - 3.8 ★
Category: Nick & Nora Charles
Around the Year in 52 Books: A Book with Gothic Elements
November MysteryKit: Gothic Mystery
November TIOLI #2: At Least One of the Author's Names Starts with a Vowel
Tales of Mystery And Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe is a collection of short stories and novellas, some of these such as "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", "The Purloined Letter" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" were familiar to me, but there were plenty more that were new to me.
Although I didn’t love the story, I was glad to finally read “The Pit and the Pendulum” as it is a story that I heard about for years. Poe is an expert at writing short stories that feature both obsessive and abnormal behaviour as stories like “Ligeia” and “The Oblong Box” illustrate. He also is a master at portraying horror as in “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”. All of the stories gathered in this book have been published in other volumes but this is a comprehensive collection of his work.
This anthology has a total of 22 stories and these lurid tales of the macabre, although written in the 1800’s, are still dark and disturbing today.
Category: Nick & Nora Charles
Around the Year in 52 Books: A Book with Gothic Elements
November MysteryKit: Gothic Mystery
November TIOLI #2: At Least One of the Author's Names Starts with a Vowel
Tales of Mystery And Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe is a collection of short stories and novellas, some of these such as "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", "The Purloined Letter" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" were familiar to me, but there were plenty more that were new to me.
Although I didn’t love the story, I was glad to finally read “The Pit and the Pendulum” as it is a story that I heard about for years. Poe is an expert at writing short stories that feature both obsessive and abnormal behaviour as stories like “Ligeia” and “The Oblong Box” illustrate. He also is a master at portraying horror as in “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”. All of the stories gathered in this book have been published in other volumes but this is a comprehensive collection of his work.
This anthology has a total of 22 stories and these lurid tales of the macabre, although written in the 1800’s, are still dark and disturbing today.
226Tess_W
>225 DeltaQueen50: I've read many many Poe(s) and while I don't love the macabre, I do love the way Poe uses words to create the macabre! I was leery when somebody suggested I should read his poems, because I thought, I don't need macabre poems! However, his poems, at least the ones I've read, (Is Life a Dream within a Dream, Annabelle Lee, Helen, and others) are very tender and romantic; unlike his short stories! That poet definitely had two faces.
227DeltaQueen50
>226 Tess_W: Yes, whether you are a fan of Poe's subject matter there is no denying his talent as a writer. I have read a few of his poems, and many of his short stories include a poem or two, but I hope to read more of his poetry at some point.
228LadyoftheLodge
>227 DeltaQueen50: I just acquired a lovely bound edition of Poe for a gift for my hubby.
229DeltaQueen50
>228 LadyoftheLodge: I am sure he will enjoy that, Cheryl. Poe is timeless.
230mstrust
Morning, Judy!
>222 DeltaQueen50: Too bad, that premise would have reeled me in.
>222 DeltaQueen50: Too bad, that premise would have reeled me in.
231mathgirl40
>178 DeltaQueen50: I too was at first disappointed that this story collection had so few Lord Peter Wimsey stories but, as I worked through the collection, the character of Montague Egg grew on me. I'm sorry that Sayers never featured him in any of her novels.
232DeltaQueen50
>230 mstrust: Good morning, Jennifer! This book was a disappointment and I have to admit that I kept thinking back to a previous book that was set against a famous murder - November Road by Lou Berney was so well done that it made this one seem even worse!
>231 mathgirl40: I first came across Montague Egg in another one of her short story collections, Hangman's Holiday, so it was nice to get a chance to read more about his adventures. I agree it would have been nice to learn more about him in a full length novel.
>231 mathgirl40: I first came across Montague Egg in another one of her short story collections, Hangman's Holiday, so it was nice to get a chance to read more about his adventures. I agree it would have been nice to learn more about him in a full length novel.
233DeltaQueen50
191. Allegedly byTiffany D. Jackson - 5.0 ★
Category: Trixie Belden & Honey Wheeler
Around the Year in 52 Books: From the TIME List of the Best 100 YA Books
November CatWoman: Woman's Issues
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
I don’t even know where to start with Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson. This may well be my best read of 2022. It is a haunting and disturbing story about the after effects of a murder case. The media hype was intense as nine year old Mary B. Addison was convicted of killing a 3 month old baby called Alissa. The fact that Mary is black and the baby was white had a lot to do with why Mary was sent to prison.
The book actually opens when Mary is 15 and is now living in a group home with a bunch of other young female offenders. Mary is picked on, ridiculed and beaten. She does work at a senior care centre and there she meets Ted. He gives her the attention and love that she has been craving and all too soon she is pregnant. Mary is overjoyed to be having a baby, until she is informed that social services will be taking the baby away from her. She realizes that she has to finally speak her truth about what really happened to baby Alissa even if in doing so she puts her Mother in the firing line.
I listened to an audio version of the story and narrator Bahni Turpin did an excellent job. Her skilful reading raises this book to another level. The story draws you in and stirs your emotions to the boiling point. Through Mary’s thoughts you learn about her childhood, or lack of one, and her challenging relationship with her mother, and always, skirting around in the background, are details of Mary’s alleged crime. Mary is very intelligent and she comes up with a plan for her and Ted to be together, to get herself to college, and to be able to keep her baby. The adults that have been assigned to look after Mary are negligent at best and the juvenile justice system appears to be one of hopeless desperation and failure. This chilling and dark story so draws one in that I found myself having to remind myself that it is a fictional story. I highly recommend this twisted and powerful novel.
Category: Trixie Belden & Honey Wheeler
Around the Year in 52 Books: From the TIME List of the Best 100 YA Books
November CatWoman: Woman's Issues
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
I don’t even know where to start with Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson. This may well be my best read of 2022. It is a haunting and disturbing story about the after effects of a murder case. The media hype was intense as nine year old Mary B. Addison was convicted of killing a 3 month old baby called Alissa. The fact that Mary is black and the baby was white had a lot to do with why Mary was sent to prison.
The book actually opens when Mary is 15 and is now living in a group home with a bunch of other young female offenders. Mary is picked on, ridiculed and beaten. She does work at a senior care centre and there she meets Ted. He gives her the attention and love that she has been craving and all too soon she is pregnant. Mary is overjoyed to be having a baby, until she is informed that social services will be taking the baby away from her. She realizes that she has to finally speak her truth about what really happened to baby Alissa even if in doing so she puts her Mother in the firing line.
I listened to an audio version of the story and narrator Bahni Turpin did an excellent job. Her skilful reading raises this book to another level. The story draws you in and stirs your emotions to the boiling point. Through Mary’s thoughts you learn about her childhood, or lack of one, and her challenging relationship with her mother, and always, skirting around in the background, are details of Mary’s alleged crime. Mary is very intelligent and she comes up with a plan for her and Ted to be together, to get herself to college, and to be able to keep her baby. The adults that have been assigned to look after Mary are negligent at best and the juvenile justice system appears to be one of hopeless desperation and failure. This chilling and dark story so draws one in that I found myself having to remind myself that it is a fictional story. I highly recommend this twisted and powerful novel.
234Helenliz
Late to this particular party. The thing I admire about Egg is how different he is from Peter Wimsey. It's such a different setup and even style of detecting.
236mathgirl40
>233 DeltaQueen50: Taking a BB for Allegedly! I've added it to my Overdrive wishlist, as my library does have the e-audiobook.
237DeltaQueen50
>234 Helenliz: As much as I love Lord Peter, it is a shame that there wasn't more stories with Montague Egg as the main character.
>235 dudes22: & >236 mathgirl40: I am very happy that you both are going to go with the audio version. The narrator was able to switch her voice up that it was always easy to identify the characters and she totally nailed the story! I hope you both fall under the spell of this book - I'll watch for your comments.
>235 dudes22: & >236 mathgirl40: I am very happy that you both are going to go with the audio version. The narrator was able to switch her voice up that it was always easy to identify the characters and she totally nailed the story! I hope you both fall under the spell of this book - I'll watch for your comments.
238DeltaQueen50
192. The Sands of Windee by Arthur W. Upfield - 3.7 ★
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
November AlphaKit: U
November TIOLI #2: At Least One of the Author's Names Starts with a Vowel
The Sands of Windee by Arthur W. Upfield was a very different yet highly interesting mystery. Originally published in 1931, it is a part of the author’s DI Napoleon Bonaparte series. Set in Australia, this particular book has the detective investigating a murder that occurred on a remote sheep station. Napoleon Bonaparte or Bony as he preferred to be called considers himself to be the best detective in Australia and indeed his record of solving cases is pretty well perfect. Bony is half white, half Aborigine and specializes in going under-cover while working on a case.
When he hears the details about a white man who has gone missing from a sheep station he is convinced that the man was murdered. He presents himself to the owner and is hired as a horse breaker. Luckily, he is an excellent horse breaker so soon becomes a valuable member of the station. He painstakingly investigates the area where the missing man’s car was found and slowly starts building a case. Without a body, it’s very difficult to prove murder, and someone has gone to a lot of trouble to ensure that a corpse will not be found, but Bony, who is also a master tracker and bushman, is well able to put the clues together and come up with an accurate picture of what happened so is soon ready to make an arrest.
Although I found Bony a little difficult to totally believe in and the murder mystery a little lacking, I did find the setting of this book fascinating. The sheep station, Windee, covered over thirteen hundred thousand acres of land with seventy thousand sheep and a goodly number of workers. I was engaged by the day-to-day working of such a massive piece of property as well as the information on the culture of the Australian Aborigine that was part of the story as well. The book did show it’s age due to some of the language used including the many derogatory terms used to describe the natives.
Category: Calvin & Hobbs
November AlphaKit: U
November TIOLI #2: At Least One of the Author's Names Starts with a Vowel
The Sands of Windee by Arthur W. Upfield was a very different yet highly interesting mystery. Originally published in 1931, it is a part of the author’s DI Napoleon Bonaparte series. Set in Australia, this particular book has the detective investigating a murder that occurred on a remote sheep station. Napoleon Bonaparte or Bony as he preferred to be called considers himself to be the best detective in Australia and indeed his record of solving cases is pretty well perfect. Bony is half white, half Aborigine and specializes in going under-cover while working on a case.
When he hears the details about a white man who has gone missing from a sheep station he is convinced that the man was murdered. He presents himself to the owner and is hired as a horse breaker. Luckily, he is an excellent horse breaker so soon becomes a valuable member of the station. He painstakingly investigates the area where the missing man’s car was found and slowly starts building a case. Without a body, it’s very difficult to prove murder, and someone has gone to a lot of trouble to ensure that a corpse will not be found, but Bony, who is also a master tracker and bushman, is well able to put the clues together and come up with an accurate picture of what happened so is soon ready to make an arrest.
Although I found Bony a little difficult to totally believe in and the murder mystery a little lacking, I did find the setting of this book fascinating. The sheep station, Windee, covered over thirteen hundred thousand acres of land with seventy thousand sheep and a goodly number of workers. I was engaged by the day-to-day working of such a massive piece of property as well as the information on the culture of the Australian Aborigine that was part of the story as well. The book did show it’s age due to some of the language used including the many derogatory terms used to describe the natives.
239Tanya-dogearedcopy
>225 DeltaQueen50: It's been about 10 years (!); but I went through a big "Poe Phase"-- I read all of the fiction & poetry; but I admit that when I got to his essays, I hit a brick wall!
240pamelad
>238 DeltaQueen50: They're a product of their time with, as you say, iffy attitudes to Aboriginal people but a real sense of outback Australia. Bony is irritatingly perfect!
241Storeetllr
Hi, Judy! Well, I don’t know how but I managed to lose track of you a thread and a half ago. Bad Mary. All caught up now! You’ve read some really interesting stuff lately! I know I took a few BBs, and snagged an audio copy of November Roads to start after my current (Ninth House) or maybe the one waiting in the wings (Braiding Sweetgrass). Have a lovely week!
242BLBera
Hi Judy! Allegedly sounds like a good one. I will look for it. I'm reading Demon Copperhead right now and the foster care system failures are highlighted in this novel as well.
I do love Poe although in general I am not a fan of horror.
I do love Poe although in general I am not a fan of horror.
243cindydavid4
>239 Tanya-dogearedcopy: My 6th grade teacher had us read his stories and they were so much fun! (she must have been a fan of short stories coz we also read O Henry, Saki, Kipling and a few others.) BTW did you know that many of his poems were put to music? we sang Tell Tall Heart and The Bells at school, and I heard a lovely version of Annabelle Lee a while back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Ajcbk-Yf0 also covered by Stevie Nicks and Joan Baez
>242 BLBera: I don't think of him as horror, at least his work doesnt scare me as much as real horror. Think more gothic maybe?
>242 BLBera: I don't think of him as horror, at least his work doesnt scare me as much as real horror. Think more gothic maybe?
244mstrust
>238 DeltaQueen50: I haven't read that one yet. I've read maybe five or six Bonys and noticed that in the beginning of the series he's very arrogant and towards the end of the series he's humble. I haven't read the book that brings about such a change.
245LadyoftheLodge
>243 cindydavid4: Yikes, our 6th grade teachers must have been sisters under the skin! We read the same bunch of short stories in 6th grade, although did not sing the songs you mentioned. Poe is cited as the Father of the Detective Story.
246DeltaQueen50
>239 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I have never tried any of Poe's essays and I have a feeling that I probably won't be picking up any.
>240 pamelad: I thought this book was so interesting because of the setting, I can't even imagine managing that much land, some of these stations are larger than small countries. And yes, there didn't seem to be much that Bony couldn't do - and do perfectly. Irritatingly perfect is right - I was taken aback when the cook went walkabout and Bony took over and did an even better job at it!
>241 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, glad you found me! I loved November Road and in fact my husband is reading it right now and he can barely put it down! I hope you like it.
>242 BLBera: Beth I found Allegedly to be an excellent read - I hope you get to it. I am looking forward to Demon Copperhead as I love Barbara Kingsolver. Poe's horror is much more subtle than most horror stories definitely "gothic" in nature.
>240 pamelad: I thought this book was so interesting because of the setting, I can't even imagine managing that much land, some of these stations are larger than small countries. And yes, there didn't seem to be much that Bony couldn't do - and do perfectly. Irritatingly perfect is right - I was taken aback when the cook went walkabout and Bony took over and did an even better job at it!
>241 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, glad you found me! I loved November Road and in fact my husband is reading it right now and he can barely put it down! I hope you like it.
>242 BLBera: Beth I found Allegedly to be an excellent read - I hope you get to it. I am looking forward to Demon Copperhead as I love Barbara Kingsolver. Poe's horror is much more subtle than most horror stories definitely "gothic" in nature.
247DeltaQueen50
>243 cindydavid4: I don't remember studying Poe while in school, but when I was young there was one or two movies made that featured two or three of Poe's stories. I remember Peter Lorry and Vincent Price were in them. I was about 11 or 12 at the time, and saw them at a Saturday matinee. The Black Cat was one of the stories but I don't remember what the others were. That was my first exposure to Poe, I don't think I read anything by him until I was 17 or so.
>244 mstrust: This was my first "Bony" but I will be looking for more. Bony had a decision to make at the end of this book that brought him down a peg or two.
>245 LadyoftheLodge: I read somewhere that The Murders in the Rue Morgue which was published in 1841 is considered one of the first modern detective stories.
>244 mstrust: This was my first "Bony" but I will be looking for more. Bony had a decision to make at the end of this book that brought him down a peg or two.
>245 LadyoftheLodge: I read somewhere that The Murders in the Rue Morgue which was published in 1841 is considered one of the first modern detective stories.
248DeltaQueen50
193. Death in Venice by Thomas Mann - 3.7 ★
Category: Lucy & Ethel
November RandomCat: City in Title
November 1,001 Group Challenge Read: Set in a Country Other than Your Own
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
Death in Venice is a novella written by German author, Thomas Mann. It was first published in 1912. It is a story about a writer who is suffering from writer’s block. He visits Venice and finds himself liberated, uplifted and then obsessed by the sight of a beautiful boy. Though he never actually speaks to the boy, or has any contact whatsoever, the writer feels a great passion. This obsession that he feels distracts him from the fact that rumors have begun to circulate about a disease that is spreading through the city.
Although a slim volume, Death in Venice is far from light reading. Strangely decadent and uncomfortable yet beautifully written the author uses the contrast between the young boy and the elderly author to symbolize the variation between youth and old age, as well as external and internal beauty and, of course, life and death. This symbolic story definitely held my attention but I felt myself more drawn to his writing style than to the story itself.
Category: Lucy & Ethel
November RandomCat: City in Title
November 1,001 Group Challenge Read: Set in a Country Other than Your Own
November TIOLI #7: Rolling Challenge - Elton & Bernie
Death in Venice is a novella written by German author, Thomas Mann. It was first published in 1912. It is a story about a writer who is suffering from writer’s block. He visits Venice and finds himself liberated, uplifted and then obsessed by the sight of a beautiful boy. Though he never actually speaks to the boy, or has any contact whatsoever, the writer feels a great passion. This obsession that he feels distracts him from the fact that rumors have begun to circulate about a disease that is spreading through the city.
Although a slim volume, Death in Venice is far from light reading. Strangely decadent and uncomfortable yet beautifully written the author uses the contrast between the young boy and the elderly author to symbolize the variation between youth and old age, as well as external and internal beauty and, of course, life and death. This symbolic story definitely held my attention but I felt myself more drawn to his writing style than to the story itself.
249DeltaQueen50
I've opened my last thread of the year, please come on over and join me.
250Dianekeenoy
>233 DeltaQueen50: Just put a hold on the audiobook!!!
Dit onderwerp werd voortgezet door DeltaQueen Relies on Friends in 2022 - Page 6.
