Kristel's 2024 Reading Journal, 1st Quarter

I am a lover of lists and have been working on these lists;
Reading 1001 Books (all editions)
Reading Booker Winners
Reading Pulitzer
NPR SFF
NPR Horror

I am in 2 bookclubs.

I participate in Bookspin, Doublespin, Bookspin Bingo on Litsy.

My Tickers:
2024 75 books read


1001 books. It's probably not accurate but close enough.

British Author Challenge
January: Joan Aiken, Arthur Conan Doyle
The Haunting of Lamb House - Aiken COMPLETED

February: Emma Newman, Ronald Firbank
Planetfall - Newman COMPLETED

March: Welsh Authors
Ken Follett or How Green Was My Valley

April: Barbara Pym, Anthony Trollope

May: Portal Fantasy
The Wonderland Collection

June: Kiran Millwood Hargrave & DH Lawrence

July: Animal Tales

August: KJ Charles & Winston Churchill

September: The 1980s

October: Gothic Fiction

November: EM Delafield & TH White

December: Books Acquired in 2024
The Rest of Life
Prophet Song

American Author Challenge
JANUARY: Mark Twain A Connecticut Yankee in Arthur's Court

FEBRUARY: Susan Sontag Debriefing: Collected Stories

MARCH: Truman Capote The Grass Harp

APRIL: General Non-Fiction with host Caroline Caroline_McElwee.

MAY: William Maxwell

JUNE: Queer Authors with host Dr. Laura Koons lycomayflower

JULY: Susan Power a/k/a Mona Susan Power

AUGUST: Jeffrey Lent

SEPTEMBER: Living American authors who were born outside the US but adopted this country as their home.

OCTOBER: Katharine Anne Porter

NOVEMBER: Jewish American Authors with host Kristel kristelh

DECEMBER: The Heartland (regional authors from the middle of the country)

WILD CARD : 2015 Redux
Pick an author from the 2015 Challenge

Booker 36/57

Booker International: 3/8

Pulitzer List: 43/101
1. Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler 1988 2/18/24

Reading 1001:
1. Dangling Man
2. Gosta Berling's Saga
3. The House in Paris
4. Memento Mori
5. Far From the Madding Crowd

War Room
For January: The Ancients I am considering
Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker
The Silver Branch - Rosemary Sutcliff. I remember liking the book I read this year.
The History of the Peloponnesian which I actually added to my shelf this year COMPLETED
Persian Fire COMPLETED

February
American War of Independence
Rise to Rebellion Jeff Shaara COMPLETED

March
Wars of Roses
The Black Arrow - Robert Louis Stevenson COMPLETED

April
Religious Wars

May
The Napoleonic Wars

June
The English Civil War

July
Colonial Wars

August
World War II
Tales of the South Pacific

September
American Civil War
The Killer Angels

October
American Follies
Going After Cacciato

November
WWI
All Blood Is Black at Night - David Diop
Storm of Steel - Ernst Junger

December
Spanish Civil War
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemingway

Wildcard

January Plans
1. Gosta Berling's Saga - Selma Lagerlof, Nobel recipient, 1001
2. Melancholy of Resistance - Laszlo Krasznahorkai 1001 botm(r)
3. Dangling Man - Saul Bellow 1001 tbr
4, The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit - Lucette Lagnado JBC
5. BAC: Arthur Conan Doyle - Four Short Stories
6. BAC: Joan Aiken - The Haunting of Lamb House(H)
7. The Elected Member - Bernice Rubens (Booker)
8. AAC: Twain
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (L)
9. Innocents Abroad (H)
10. The Sound of Gravel - Ruth Wariner BCR
11. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi Shannon Chakraborty SFF
12. Persian Fire
13. Silence of the Girls
14. The History of the Peloponesian War
15. The Silver Branch - Rosemary Sutcliff
16. Read at least 12% of Joseph and His Brothers
17. Read at least 33% of He Knew he was Right - Trollope
18. 28 Days - David Safier
19. The Wren, the Wren
20. Agatha of Little Neon - Claire Luchette
21. The House in Paris - Elizabeth Bowen

February
1. 1001 botm, Memento Mori Muriel Spark
2. Planetfall - Emma Newman (L)
3. War Room: Rise to Rebellion - Jeff Shaara (H)
4. AAC: Debriefing - Susan Sontag (H)

March
1. BAC; Welsh authors Ken Follett The Man From St. Petersburg
2. AAC; Truman Capote The Grass Harp
3. War Room: War of Roses The Black Arrow

Happy New Year, Kristel! That is a hefty January list. Good luck!

LOL, Mark. It is a working list. I won't get all of them read. I use list for bookbingospin on Litsy.

Welcome back, Kristel!

Really pleased to see your thread. Us listomaniacs should stick together!

>7 Kristelh: There are a couple of planned shared reads there.

>13 drneutron:, Thank you Jim, and thank you for all you do.

>14 PaulCranswick:, Thank you Paul, I am going to try for some shared reads through the year.

Happy New Thread, Kristel. What ambitious plans you have for January. I don't play ahead much with my reading , but I do have in mind to re read Lucy Barton in January for a library book club. I rarely re - read, but I think there will be lots to discuss from that book.

Hello Kristel, hoping you have a good year of reading and everything else ahead.

>16 vancouverdeb:, Greetings Deb, thanks for stopping by. I will not read all those books listed. I do a Bookbingo card and work with 20 books every month. I try to do some shared reads with others. I also have club reads. I like Elizabeth Strout's writing and always mean to get to more of her books.

>17 ursula: Thanks Ursula!

1. Read a book with a word or phrase related to time in its title - Msg #1 28-Days COMPLETED

2. Read a book with a garden or floral themed title or cover art - Msg #3

3. Read a book with a title word that begins with A, B, C, Do, Re or Mi - Msg #4

4. Read a book that's on a Best of 2023 list - Msg #5 The Wren, the Wren COMPLETED

5. Read a book with a new chapter/section starting on p. 53, 53 in the ISBN, or an author's first name in the top 25 for Alabama in 1971 - Msg #6 History of the Peloponnesian War COMPLETED

6. Read a book by an author whose name is next to one of the big names in your author cloud - Msg #8
Shared read Persian Fire COMPLETED

7. Read a book with the name “Agatha” in either the title or the author’s name, but the books cannot be either about or written by Agatha Christie - Msg #9 Agatha of Little Neon

8. Read a book with the rules for a trip down the river Rhine - Msg #25

9. Read a book dealing with business, finance or financial shenanigans - Msg #28

10. Read a book where the author’s first and last name begins with the same letter - Msg #30

11. Read a book by an author who you first read in 2023 - Msg #31

12. Read a book with a pronoun or Who/Whom/Whose in the title - Msg #32

13. Read a book about the Roman Empire (Fiction or Non-Fiction) - Msg #33

14. Read a book whose title and/or subtitle includes an adjective starting with “Un” before a noun - Msg #45

Challenge #15: Read a book with 250 pages or more Gosta Berling Saga COMPLETED

I am on my way to Florida. It was an excellent trip so far. Made it from my home down 100 miles west of Minnesota to Kentucky. That is excellent progress. Tomorrow will be Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. Maybe even get to north Florida.

Wow, that is good progress! Have fun in Florida.

Thanks Jim, I will be in Florida about 3 to 4 months. Looking for sunshine.

Happy New Year!

>22 Kristelh: Florida! Hope you find plenty of sunshine and warmth there.

Happy New Year, Kristel. Enjoy Florida.

Happy reading in 2024, Kristel!

Safe travels, and enjoy your time in Florida!

>23 figsfromthistle: Thank You Anita, It’s kind of cloudy in Florida at the current time but hoping the sun takes over soon. Made it to Kentucky with the first step of the journey. Amazing.

>24 BLBera:, Thank you Beth. I will stop by and wish you a happy new year of reading too.

>25 FAMeulstee:, Thanks Anita, so far the trip has been without any hiccups. I enjoy Florida but also find it hard to leave home.

Settling in here in Florida. Did finish Persian Fire and now reading Dangling Man and Gosta Berling's Saga.

We (DIL) went to the beach yesterday. Was really not a bad day though it did start out cool. Rain predicted today but the sunrise is nice.

Temp 69 upon waking. Back in Willmar it's 26.

1. Persian Fire - Tom Holland

Original publication date: 2005
Acquisition date/place: December 2023 Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: Persian empire, War with Greece
Challenge(s): War room; ancient history
Author: UK
List book: no
Genre nonfiction, history
Liked: I liked matching Bible history
Disliked: so much and unfamiliar names made it hard

Tons of great reading plans for this year I see, Kristel. I wish you all the best in reaching them!

>28 Kristelh: I am slated to read that one this month along with Paul. I am glad to see that you liked it.

Safe travels!

>29 alcottacre:, Thanks Stasia. I am looking forward to your thoughts on Persian Fire. I arrived in Florida on Wednesday. Travels were perfect. Not a single problem. Lots of people praying. I will be in Florida until April. I might fly home for a week in March and I might drive up to Winter Haven to visit a friend. But mostly I am here at my home in Florida.

Hi Kristel! Hope your 2024 reading is blessed!

>31 Tess_W: Thanks Tess, same to you!

>28 Kristelh: I like your book cover better than the one I have, Kristel.


This is my cover.

So 4 stars is quite a positive outcome right despite the preponderance of awkward names?

Have a lovely Sunday, Kristel.

>33 PaulCranswick:, Thanks Paul, Have a stress free Monday. I'm in Florida and it has been a lot of rain so far. Not the Florida sunshine we flock here for.

2.
Book Dangling Man - Saul Bellow
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1944
Acquisition date/place: Dec 2023
Decimal/ Star rating: 1.8 stars
Book description/summary: Man dangles as he waits to be drafted
Challenge(s): tbr takedown, 1001
Author: US
List book: 1001
Genre fiction, epistolary (diary)
Liked: what happens when man has no motivation
Disliked: man has no motivation

Too bad about the rain in Florida , Kristel. So you are there for 3 - 4 months in hopes of sunshine and warmth. I hope you get some soon. Your reading is going great guns.

>36 vancouverdeb:, thanks Deb. I always say "the sun always shines in Florida" and it's mostly true. But when there is an El Nino or whatever it is, the south can get more rain. Florida needs the rain. But I am betting that the sun will shine. It's still warmer than Minnesota this time of year.

Tuesday, cloudy, morning temp 71 from Florida. Storms expected this afternoon.
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Currently reading
Gosta Berling’s Saga and 28 Days by David Safier.

3.
Book 28 Days - David Safier
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2014
Acquisition date/place: May 2022
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Jewish resistance, Warsaw
Challenge(s): TIOLI #1, TBR
Author: German
List book: no
Genre historical fiction
Liked: strong female character
Disliked: not sure what I thought about the story telling within the novel

I started The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enright. I have read several Enright and I know she rights tough stories but I really dislike this one. I will finish it.

4.
Book The Wren, The Wren - Anne Enright
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2023
Acquisition date/place: Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.2 stars
Book description/summary: love is function, sex is a beast
Challenge(s): Shared read, TIOLI #4
Author: Ireland
List book:
Genre literary fiction
Liked: not much
Disliked: disjointed, crude, violent, messy

5.
Book The Haunting of Lamb House - Joan Aiken
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1993
Acquisition date/place: Jan 2024 Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: Gothic ghost story
Challenge(s): BAC
Author: British
List book: no
Genre novellas, horror, Gothic
Liked: I liked the connection to real events and people (Lambs, King George, Henry James, Edith Wharton, E.F.Benson)
Disliked: the last two novellas were less developed but still interesting

I've looked at The Wren, The Wren, but I don't like much sex in books - can I admit to that ? Or swearing. I think I'll skip it.

The Haunting of Lamb House sounds much more appealing. That one I will look for.

>43 vancouverdeb: Of course you can, Deb! I also find so much of it (sex and bad language) is gratuitous and completely unnecessary succeeding in discomforting the reader usually rather than engaging him/her.

I haven't read The Wren, The Wren though as yet Kristel and it isn't particularly calling to me either.

>43 vancouverdeb: >44 PaulCranswick:. Deb and Paul, I think there are better books to read from the best of 2023 than The Wren, The Wren. I can’t really recommend it.

Tuesday.
Reading The Adventures of Amina A-Sirafi - Shannon Chakraborty. I am enjoying the story of a female pirate. It does include some of the aspects of our current culture but it is done as part of the story better than most. This is a work of fantasy, strong women, a look at religion, identity.

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Gosta Berling’s Sagas is causing me to read sluggishly. They’re interesting but not the kind of story you can engage in.

Florida is definitely having a cold and wet winter. Usually this is the dry season but not this year. Just north of me they had terrible flooding last night. Thankful not here.

Wednesday.
It is a rainy and cool winter continuing. Have not seen much sun.

I made some headway in Gosta Berling’s after I found it on Librovox.

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6.
Book The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2023
Acquisition date/place: 2024/Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: female pirate takes on the Frank
Challenge(s): SFF read for January GR
Author: US
List book: GR award
Genre Fantasy
Liked: adventure with quest
Disliked: some language and woke that did not add to story.

>41 Kristelh: Hmmm. I have seen this at the library....I think I will pass on it.

7.
Book Gosta Berling's Saga - Selma Lagerlof
Format: book and librovox
Original publication date: 1891
Acquisition date/place: 2023, Abe books
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.2 stars
Book description/summary: Swedish folktales
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm
Author: Swedish
List book: 1001
Genre folktales
Liked: the setting
Disliked: while not hard to read it was hard to engage.

I am going to try to get History of the Peloponnesian War read next.

Friday is here. Had a couple not half bad days here in Florida. Today cloudy with rain predicted.
I am trying to read The Peloponnesian War and I also started Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court and I am trying to read The Melancholy of Resistance. I like the prose but there are no paragraph breaks that I am seeing so it will be a longish feeling book.

Connections
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I am working on https://media.newyorker.com/photos/590950cec14b3c606c103559/master/w_760,c_limit..., jigsaw puzzle which I have owned for a very long time.

I started two books; A Connecticut Yankee in Arthur's Court and History of the Peloponnesian War. I also am trying to read The Melancholy of Resistance.

Monday, cloudy and cool here in “sunny” Florida.
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Still reading.

Wednesday morning. Weather is a bit better here in Florida. Struggling with my reading in January. Books are too dense this month.

Currently reading
The Melancholy of Resistance - Laszlo Krasznahorkai. One very long paragraph

History of the Peloponnesian War - Thucydides, Unfamiliar topic and so many names of islands, cities etc.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court - it’s okay, probably the easiest book I have going.

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Beginning February Plans
War: Rise to Rebellion - Jeff Shaara
1001: Memento Mori - Muriel Spark
Pulitzer: Breathing Lessons TIOLI #8 (1988)
AAC: Susan Sontag Debriefing: Collected Stories
BAC: Emma Newman Planetfall
TBR: Far From the Maddening Crowd - Thomas Hardy
SFF: Thistlefoot - GennaRose Nethercott
SE: The Ground Beneath her Feet - Rushdie

Thursday
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>56 Kristelh: Looks like you have a lot of good reading scheduled for February already, Kristel!

Have a fantastic Friday!

>58 alcottacre:, Thanks Stasia. Yes, starting to put my February possibilities together. But I am struggling with my January list.

8.
Book Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1889
Acquisition date/place: January 2024, Hoopla
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: social commentary through time travel
Challenge(s): AAC/Twain
Author: American
List book: its on many lists
Genre fantasy
Liked: some of it was funny
Disliked: it seemed to be very negative in tone

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Saturday. A nice day in Florida. Lots happening. My granddaughter will fly in tonight and spend a few days with me.

Other things happening: Women’s faith conference, trivia.

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Currently reading
The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen
And still reading
History of the Peloponnesian War and The Melancholy of Resistance.

Hi Kristen. Just wondering where you are in Florida. We moved to the Tampa Bay area 3 years ago after 35 years in Seattle. Big Change! We're full timers, not snowbirds, so we have to brave the brutal summers.

>63 arubabookwoman:, Hello, Arubabookwoman, I am just a snowbird at this point. I live south of Fort Meyers and north of Naples. I live in Minnesota during the summer which can be pretty hot and humid. People think of Minnesota as cold and it is but summer isn't always pleasant either. I like the weather here in Florida though this year is cold and wetter than normal.

Sunday
My granddaughter is with me for a few days. Today we went to the beach early and spent time walking the beach and checking out the shells. It was 70s in the morning with dropping temps through the day. It’ll be cold now for awhile.
No reading got accomplished.
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I did read a bit of The House In Paris yesterday. I like it and think it is a book with depth and probably would be one to consider rereading. I am struggling with The Melancholy of Resistance because of how it is written. It does address the time period when communism fell. I will probably work at reading this off and on until I am done but won’t finish this month as I had hoped. I am still reading The Peloponnesian War which I would like to finish before the end of the month but if not, I will finish it in February.

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9.
Book The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1935
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla Digital, January 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.5 to 5 stars
Book description/summary: fictitional memory; effects of adults on a child
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, January special word
Author: Anglo/Irish author
List book: 1001
Genre Realism/Modernism, free and direct speech
Liked: the atmospheric elements, the children
Disliked: it is a bit too much time bending that you can miss some of the elements

Tuesday no its cold here is Florida. 45F. It’s 34 back home so in many ways Minnesota is warmer than Florida.

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My power will be off for awhile so I will not be on much today.

Wednesday, Last day of January. I will be back later to sum up January and plan for February. It was a fast month and reading is down this month. I had some tough ones.

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No luck with connections today.

>67 Kristelh: BB for me. Looks interesting

>71 figsfromthistle:, hope you enjoy, Anita

10.
Book History of the War of Peloponnesian - Thucydides
Format: book and audio
Original publication date: 400BCE
Acquisition date/place: used book, audio through Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: history of a 20 plus year of Athens/Spartans, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.
Challenge(s): War Room challenge; ancient war
Author: Greek
List book: several lists and this translation; Prix Langlois (Jean Voilquin – 1937)
Genre nonfiction
Liked: the debates, political systems, Darius (Persian) mention
Disliked: names and places were too many and too difficult to incorporate

Summing up January
I read 10 books, and it was a struggle
I read 3 -1001 Books
2 nonfiction
1 British Author Challenge
1 American Author Challenge

I didn't finish
1001 Random pick, The Melancholy of Resistance
I did not start my annual read Joseph and His Brothers
I didn't read anything by Arthur Conan Doyle
I did not read The Elected Member

This was one of my worst reading months so hopefully everything will be up hill from here.

Books Read January - 10
1. Persian Fire - Tom Holland
2. Dangling Man - Saul Bellow
3. 28 Days - David Safier
4. The Wren, the Wren - Anne Enright
5. The Haunting of Lamb House - Joan Aiken
6. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi - Shannon Chakraborty
7. Gosta Berling's Saga - Selma Lagerlof
8. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain
9. The House in Paris - Elizabeth Bowen
10. History of the Peloponnesian War - Thucydides

Collected in January
1. Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem - Kindle

Currently reading
The Berry Pickers - Amanda Peters
The Melancholy of Resistance - Laszlo Krasznahorkai

Beginning February Plans
War: Rise to Rebellion - Jeff Shaara
1001: Memento Mori - Muriel Spark
Pulitzer: Breathing Lessons TIOLI #8 (1988)
AAC: Susan Sontag Debriefing: Collected Stories
BAC: Emma Newman Planetfall
TBR: Far From the Maddening Crowd - Thomas Hardy
SFF: Thistlefoot - GennaRose Nethercott
SE: The Ground Beneath her Feet - Rushdie
f2f: The Berry Pickers March book, available now #2 TIOLI
#1TIOLI Kids of Appetite - David Arnold
#3 When Dimple Met Rishi - Sandhya Menon
He Knew He was Right - Trollope, qrtly read, 2/3
Joseph and his Brothers year long read
The Topeka School
All the Little Bird Hearts
Victory at Yorktown
Four Stories - Arthur Conan Doyle
Valley Forge - Newt Gingrich
The Woman Who Split the Atom - Marissa Moss

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book whose title begins with the same letter as your screen name - msg #1
Kids of Appetite
2. Read a book whose average rating on LT is 4.0 or above - msg #3
The Berry Pickers
3. Read a love story - msg #4
When Dimple Met Rishi
4. Read a book that has something to do with hair - msg #5
5. Rolling Challenge – Match first letter of book title to the phrase “Hearts and Flowers” - msg #6

6. Read a book where changing one letter makes a new title - msg #8

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book with the name of a city in the title or author's name - msg #9
The Topeka School
Victory at Yorktown

8. Read a book published in a Year of the Dragon (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024) - msg #10

Breathing Lessons
9. Read a book whose title conveys menace - msg #11
Rise to Rebellion

10. The “Balance it Out” Challenge - Read a book whose author has the same number of letters in both their first and surnames - msg #12

11. Read a book for the Zodiac challenge (Aquarius - author or character born Jan 20 to Feb 18) - msg #17

12. Read a book about the former Soviet "sphere of influence" or by a novelist from the region, or about Vladimir Putin - msg #19
The Melancholy of Resistance

Challenges #13-16
13. Read a book set predominantly in a European capital city - msg #21

14. Read a book with two or three words in the title - msg #33

15. - msg #Challenge #15: Read a book with a single author who was born and died in the 20th Century; 1901 to 1999.

16. - msg #
17. - msg #
18. - msg #
etc.

Please post your challenge, if you so desire, before midnight February 4, 2024. Thanks so much!

Friday, Ground Hog Day here in the US.
Wordle 958 5/6

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I’ve been struggling with connections lately but I did make it through today;
Connections
Puzzle #236
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Currently reading
The Berry Pickers
He Knew He was Right
The Melancholy of Resistance

Just in from library; All the Little Birds Hearts.

>74 Kristelh: Sorry your January reading was worse as well, Kristel. I had the same :-(
The Melancholy of Resistance was not an easy read, it took me half way to really get into the story, and ended up liking it. Although I haven't picked up an other book by Krasznahorkai since.

>78 FAMeulstee:, I am sticking to it (The Melancholy of Resistance) because I do think it is going to be worth the effort, Anita.

11.
Book The Berry Pickers - Amanda Peters
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2023
Acquisition date/place: Libby 2023
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: 4 y/o daughter/sister goes missing
Challenge(s): WCF2F
Author: Canadian, mixed race
List book: some lists
Genre fiction
Liked: the setting
Disliked: I think the jumping back and forth between the brother and the sister was choppy

It's Saturday. I've read my first book for February and now working on reading
All the Little Bird-hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow. This one is good.
I started reading He Knew He was Right by Trollope. My quarterly read this first quarter. I need to get to 66% or finish it this month. This one is good too. A tale of poor communication.
And I am inching through The Melancholy of Resistance.

I will go out for pancakes today. I might check out a walking area today, stop at the grocery store, play pickleball. The sun is suppose to shine today but rain predicted for tomorrow and Monday.

Saturday
Connections
Puzzle #237
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Wordle 959 3/6

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Hello there! I found you, and I've "starred" your thread (don't know why it wasn't, before). You're like me, Wordle and Connections every day! I love the games, am not getting tired of either of them.

I see you plan out your reading? I should try doing that, but I do so much library-book reading, that it's a little iffy. I could be waiting months for a book, and it will come in all-of-a-sudden, and everything has to shift. But not a terrible problem to have.

Have a great weekend!

Karen O

>83 klobrien2:, Thanks for stopping by Karen. I starred you too. I plan my reading but it’s loose and I always check to see if I have sources for the books that I plan to read. I use Libby and Hoopla a lot.

Sunday morning, storms predicted today. Tornado watch in Fort Meyers.

Connections
Puzzle #238
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Wordle 960 4/6

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I should finish The the little bird-hearts today. Yesterday was a busy day with hiking, shopping, Bible study, pickleball. My legs were pretty tired by end of the day.

We are raining hard up here in Tampa. I never know what the weather is going to be til I wake up because I never check it.

>86 arubabookwoman: Our rain only last from 9 to about 10:30 am. No wind, lightening, or thunder even though we had a tornado watch. Now its quite pleasant out.

Monday and it’s a rainy one. I don’t think it really will stop until late this afternoon. Time to work on taxes.

Wordle 961 4/6

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Connections
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Currently reading
He Knew He was Right - Trollope
The Melancholy of Resistance
Behind Closed Doors; The Life of a Swartzentruber Amish Girl - Dena Schrock

Up soon
Memento Mori
Rise to Rebellion

Tuesday, cooler but the rain is gone.
Not much reading yesterday.

Connections
Puzzle #240
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Wordle 962 4/6

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Wednesday, cool start but should warm to low 70s. Bible study today, some pickle ball.
Finished Memento Mori I will review in a bit.

Connections
Puzzle #241
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Wordle 963 4/6

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I just downloaded wordle and i already like it, it's quite fun. Also How are you?

Owl, I am doing well, thank you. Enjoy the wordle. Others to consider; antiwordle, quordle. I also like the connections game and recommend that one.

I definitely will

12.
Book All the Little Bird-Hearts - Viktoria Lloyed-Barlow
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2023
Acquisition date/place: 2/2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: autistic mother and her daughter
Challenge(s): ?
Author: British, autistic
List book: long list Booker
Genre fiction
Liked: I liked the mother and being privileged to know her thoughts.
Disliked: I thought it was a well written book I can't think of anything to dislike

13.

Book Memento Mori - Muriel Spark
Format: kindle/audiobook
Original publication date: 1959
Acquisition date/place: 2016, Dec
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: "know that you will die"
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm
Author: Scottish
List book: 1001
Genre fiction
Liked: I liked the concept of the book, exploring how people view death
Disliked: I found it a bit hard to engage. Perhaps it was me and it deserves a reread.

>94 Kristelh: Actually, All the Little Bird-Hearts was on the 2023 Booker Long List. I considered reading it because it was on the list, but many people seemed to not enjoy it , and found it difficult going. I may have to reconsider, Krystal.

>96 vancouverdeb: I liked it and thought it well done. I look forward to your thoughts, Deb. I changed my comments about list:

It's Thursday, another nice day, even nicer actually.

Currently reading

Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara (Revolution). It's fiction but I think it is also a lot of actual history included.

Friday, and I think it will be another nice day here in “sunny” Florida.
Connections
Puzzle #243
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Wordle 965 5/6

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Plans:
Exercise; library time
Later pickleball.
I might make some chicken rice soup today

Currently reading
Rise to Rebellion
Behind Closed Doors; the life of a Swartzentruber Amish Girl
The Melancholy of Resistance

I hope to finish or at least make some progress on these.

Saturday
Connections
Puzzle #244
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Wordle 966 3/6

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I did make some good progress with Rise to Rebellion. I am past the 1/2 way point. Today is another day, and not overly scheduled either.

Sun and decent temperatures forecasted.

Sunday. It’s Super Bowl Sunday. Starting with church then maybe some pickleball and then watch the game. I hope it will be a good one. Also would like to get some books finished.

Wordle 967 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #245
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A good day for connections, okay for wordle.

Daily Quordle 748
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14.
Book Behind Closed Doors; the Life of a Swartzentruber Amish Girl
Format: book
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date/place: February 2024, borrowed from friend at IBE.
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: memoir that reveals custom, tradition, rules and secrets of Amish.
Challenge(s): used for nonfiction (women work)
Author: American
List book: no
Genre memoir
Liked: I learned a lot about Amish
Disliked: it's rough and could have benefited from more editing

Busy day yesterday. I never got on line.
Wordle 969 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #247
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I am reading
He Knew He was Right
Far From the Maddening Crowd
The Melancholy of Resistance

Books I’ve finished in February.
All The Little Bird Hearts - Liked this one
The Berry Pickers - it was good/okay
Memento Mori - Liked it
Behind Closed Doors; The life of a Swartzentruber Amish Girl - it was good/okay-I liked it
Rise to Rebellion I liked this one

Happy “Fat Tuesday”. We’ll have a parade of golf carts, food trucks, and a street dance today.

It’s been more like Florida for weather the last few days.

15.
Book Rise to Rebellion - Jeff Shaara
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2001
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla Digital/2024, February
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.75 stars
Book description/summary: from Boston massacre to declaration of independence
Challenge(s): War Room
Author: American
List book: no
Genre historical fiction
Liked: good review of history
Disliked: perhaps too many characters?

Wednesday, it was a very coolish day yesterday. Temperatures dropped through the day. Woke this morning to 50s but it is suppose to be warmer today.

Wordle 970 4/6

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Ash Wednesday.

Current reads
He Knew He was Right 64%
Far From the Maddening Crowd 34%

On hold The Melancholy of Resistance.

Wow, it’s Saturday and I haven’t checked in since Wednesday. Life is busy here in Florida.

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Connections
Puzzle #251
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I did finish Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I still need to review. I liked it but it did feel different than the usual Hardy. I need to think more about it.

Completed my review of Far from the Madding Crowd.
16.
Book Far From the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
Format: Nook/Audio
Original publication date: 1874
Acquisition date/place: 2014, Nook
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.6
Book description/summary: independent woman and 3 suitors
Challenge(s): TBR takedown
Author: British
List book: 1001 books
Genre fiction
Liked: interesting characters
Disliked: at times disliked the female character

Currently reading; Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler, Pulitzer winner.

>107 Kristelh: I really liked Far From the Madding Crowd, but agree with your “likes” and “dislikes.” There are a number of film adaptations of the book—the one I saw (and liked) is from 1998, and has Nathaniel Parker as Gabriel Oak.

Happy weekend!

Karen O

It's good to be busy, Kristel, for the most part, as long as you have time to read. I enjoyed Breathing Lessons and I hope you too. Happy weekend, Kristel.

>109 klobrien2: I liked it too, Karen, and have liked all the Hardy’s I’ve read.

>110 vancouverdeb: I am liking Breathing Lessons so far, Deb. I think it is good depiction of marriage.

Sunday and rain predicted for most of the day.

Wordle 974 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #252
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Currently reading; Breathing Lessons.
In progress;
The Melancholy of Resistance
He Knew He was Right

Think I will make a roast today and with the rain, I probably can get some reading done.

>111 Kristelh: I think that is my favourite of the Anne Tyler books I have read to date. I think that, in her gentle, wry probing, she does not get the credit she deserves as a writer.

Have a lovely Sunday, Kristel.

>113 PaulCranswick:. I agree, Paul, Anne Tyler doesn't get the credit she deserves tho she did win the Pulitzer for Breathing Lessons. My least favorite is Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. I really liked A Spool of Blue Thread. I've finished Breathing Lessons and I liked it. Not sure which will stay at the top. I need to write my review and see how it turns out.

17.
Book Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler
Format: book/audio
Original publication date: 1998
Acquisition date/place: 9/28/2014
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.4 stars
Book description/summary: a marriage; learning to breath
Challenge(s): Reading Pulitzer
Author: US/Baltimore
List book: Pulitzer
Genre fiction
Liked: I liked how this couple showed love in the middle of conflict
Disliked: I thought the character of Maggie was a bit over the top but it was part of the character development so it worked.

18.
Book Planetfall - Emma Newman
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2015
Acquisition date/place: Libby, 2/2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: 3 D printer engineer has issues
Challenge(s): British Author Challenge
Author: British
List book: no
Genre SF
Liked: did a good job of reading her book
Disliked: sex/language

Tuesday, cool weather for Florida but the sun is shining. Should also be low humidity.

Wordle 976 6/6

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Connections
Puzzle #254
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Finished Kids of Appetite and started Debriefing: Collected Stories - Susan Sontag.

19.
Book Kids of Appetite - David Arnold
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2016
Acquisition date/place: 2019
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.5 stars
Book description/summary: grief on a quest
Challenge(s): TIOLI
Author: US
List book: no
Genre tragicomedy, YA, fiction
Liked: I liked the focus on grief and also I liked the Congolese brothers
Disliked: ergo was annoying

20.
Book Debriefing: Collected Stories - Susan Sontag
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2017
Acquisition date/place: 2024/February
Decimal/ Star rating: 2 stars
Book description/summary: short stories/essayish/autobio, conglomeration.
Challenge(s): AAC
Author: US
List book: no
Genre short stories
Liked: I liked the autobiographical one the best
Disliked: some of subject matter was not my cup of tea.

Thursday

Wordle 978 6/6

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Connections
Puzzle #256
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Currently reading The Ground Beneath her Feet - Rushdie.

Friday
Connections
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Wordle 979 3/6

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>121 Kristelh: wow! Excellent puzzling today!

Karen O

>122 klobrien2: Yes, the brain did okay though it did take awhile to get the connections.

Saturday. I started my day with a 2 mile walk outside. It wasn’t as cold as it has been in the morning but it also is not going to warm up as much today either. Been doing some chores and some cooking.I am about 2/3 done with The Ground Beneath her Feet. I like some things about the book I but I really detest the profanity/vulgarity. Oh well.

Connections
Puzzle #258
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Wordle 980 X/6

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Oh, it was a bad day for many with wordle today, Kristel. Great start to your day , a 2 mile walk. I hope to get to that later today, but I didn't get a lot of sleep and our grand kids are coming over later today, so I'm not sure if I will have the energy left.

>125 vancouverdeb:, Yes it was, Deb. Hopefully today will be better. I did sleep better and that can make a difference

Sunday morning; it will be church, then Midwest Days here in IBE/Florida. Then another potluck at 5:30. Hopefully some time outside. Seems it’ll be a nicer day with less wind, sun and temps in low 70s.

Connections
Puzzle #259
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Wordle 981 5/6

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Sunday morning; it will be church, then Midwest Days here in IBE/Florida. Then another potluck at 5:30. Hopefully some time outside. Seems it’ll be a nicer day with less wind, sun and temps in low 70s.

Connections
Puzzle #259
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Monday and another nice day on tap. This one I should be able to enjoy. On the schedule, morning exercise, Hand and Foot, pickle ball.

Wordle 982 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #260
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I am trying to finish The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salmon Rushdie. I appreciate that this might be a great book but I dislike it.

Tuesday. Weather has improved at least for now. Three nice days in a row.

Currently reading; The Ground Beneath Her Feet which I hope to finish today.

Connections
Puzzle #261
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Wordle 983 5/6

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21.
Book The Ground Beneath Her Feet - Salman Rushdie
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1999
Acquisition date/place: February 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4 stars
Book description/summary: Alternate history of music
Challenge(s): Special Event, Reading 1001
Author: Indian/British
List book: 1001
Genre fiction, alternate history, magical realism
Liked: I liked the review of history and music and heavy name dropping
Disliked: excessive sexual content and vulgar language.

Wednesday, another nice day here in Florida. And another busy day. I started Sandokan by Emilio Salgari. My 1001 book for March. I am also reading Valley Forge. I hope to finish tomorrow. I did okay this month for books read.

Connections
Puzzle #262
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Wordle 984 2/6

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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩Pretty happy with this one.

Thursday. Cloudy today. Yesterday was my first day to visit the pool. Some line dancing in the evening.

Connections
Puzzle #263
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Wordle 985 3/6

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Leap day, an extra day to get my stuff together and it is needed.

Plan reads for March
Reading 1001
Call It Sleep - Henry Roth, word of the month
He Knew He Was Right - Trollope (Finish 1st Q)
Home - Robinson, botm
Sandokan: Tigers of Mompracem, Salgari, botm
Buddha of Suburbia TBR takedown

British Author Challenge: Ken Follett
The Hammer of Eden
The Third Twin
Under the Streets of Nice - nonfiction
World Without End
The Man From St. Petersburg

American Author Challenge: Truman Capote
Other Voices, Other rooms
The Grass Harp

War Room Challenge
The Black Arrow - Robert Louis Stevenson

Bookclub & other reads
Bee Season - JBC
North Woods - TKBW
The Seven Moons of Almeida, Booker

Index of Challenges:

Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book with the common name of a fish in the title or subtitle - msg #1
Fractured Tide

2. Read a book whose author has three names (or initials) - msg #3
The Black Arrow - Robert Louis Stevenson

3. The “It’s My Birthday Challenge”: Read a book that has either the numbers 03, 14, or 62 (each in the respective order) in its ISBN number - msg #4
Call It Sleep- 9780374522926

4. The One Word; Many Syllables Challenge: Read a book whose title has only one word, but the word is polysyllabic - msg #5

5. Read a book where there is at least one embedded word of 3 letters or more in the author’s name - msg #8
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida - Shehan Karunatilaka

6. Read a book that fits into the Saint Patrick's Day SHAMROCK rolling title challenge - msg #
H - He Knew He was Right

Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book for the Zodiac challenge (Pisces - cover w/ two (2) or more fish OR a mirror image/reflection) - msg #9

8. Read a book connected to "the movies" - msg #11

9. Read a book about fire or with a picture of fire on the cover - msg #13

10. Read a book where the author shares your first name or mine - msg #15

11. Read one of the Times Must-Read Books of 2023 - msg #47
North Woods - Daniel Mason

12. Read a book that is set or was published in the 1960s
The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens, 1969.

13: Read a book written by a Canadian and published in the last 5 years

22.
Book Valley Forge - Newt Gingrich
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2010
Acquisition date/place: Februry
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: George Washington and the rise of the Patriots
Challenge(s): War Room Challenge
Author: US
List book: no
Genre Historical fiction
Liked: it was well told story without a political agenda
Disliked: n/a

Summing up February
Books read: 12
1001 Books read: 3
Nonfiction: 1
British Author Challenge: 1
American Author Challenge: 1
War Room Challenge: 2

Not finished
January 1001 Random pick, The Melancholy of Resistance
I did not start my annual read Joseph and His Brothers
Started and to finish in March He Knew He was Right - 1001 1st Q read.

Books Read February - 12
1. Planetfall - Emma Newman (BAC)
2. Rise to Rebellion - Jeff Shaara, (WRC)
3. Valley Forge - Newt Gingrich, (WRC)
4. Memento Mori - Muriel Spark, (1001)
5. Far From the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy, (tbr takedown/1001)
6. Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler, Pulitzer
7. Debriefing: Collected Stories - Susan Sontag, (AAC)
8. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - Rushdie, 1001 special word challenge
9. Kids of Appetite - David Arnold, TIOLI
10. The Berry Pickers - f2f bookclub read
11. All the Little Bird-Hearts - Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow
12. Behind Closed Doors, The Life of a Swartzentruber Amish Girl - Dena Schrock

Collected in January
1. The Covenant of Water - Abraham Verghese (free)1/16/24
Collected in February
2. Prophet Song - Paul Lynch (audible credit)
3. The Rest of Life - Mary Gordon (discard, free)
Collected in March
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey - Clarke (book for Florida shelf) free.
5. A Place Called Freedom - Ken Follett, (free)
6. Contempt - Alberto Moravia (Purchased)
7. 28-Day Fast Start Day-By-Day (purchased). I needed some motivation and a this kind of book usually fits the ticket.

Currently Reading
He Knew He was Right - Trollope COMPLETED
Sandokan - Emilio Salgari COMPLETED

Friday, Warm, some sun, a lot of clouds, wind gusts. Spent morning watching the first IBE Pickleball Tournament. It was very fun.

Wordle 986 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #264
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23.
Book He Knew He Was Right - Anthony Trollope
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1869
Acquisition date/place: Libby, February 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 star
Book description/summary: happy marriage spoiled by jealousy and stubbornness.
Challenge(s): Reading 1001, 1st Q
Author: British
List book: 1001, classic
Genre fiction
Liked: I liked the strong female characters
Disliked: the lack of comments about the harm being done to the poor child.

Friday, Warm, some sun, a lot of clouds, wind gusts. Spent morning watching the first IBE Pickleball Tournament. It was very fun.

Wordle 986 4/6

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Sunday morning. It’s a day for church and rest.

Connections
Puzzle #266
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Wordle 988 X/6

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Woke up too early, brain is not as it should be.

Currently reading
Sandokan at 11%
North Woods at 4%

Finished one book in March. Total books read 2024, 23.

>140 Kristelh: Happy Sunday! Congrats on your Connections—I couldn’t break it today. I eked out a successful Wordle at 6–I did find it a toughie!

Karen O

>141 klobrien2:. Hi Karen. I made one ‘stupid’ move on wordle which added to the problem. Burned up one chance which hurts when there are too many options. I thought connections was tough too but was happy to get it. Didn’t sleep well and that always makes it harder to do my puzzles. I did okay with quordle and also antiwordle. Do you do those?

I think I’ve tried quordle but haven’t heard of antiwordle. I’ll have to give that a “look-see.”

Karen O

Monday, a mix of weather for Florida but not a wash out. Maybe go to the pool today and get some reading done.

Wordle 989 5/6

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Connections
Puzzle #267
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Currently reading North Woods and Sandokan.

Tuesday, cloudy with wind. Temperatures to low 80s. On tap for today; exercise, doodles, maybe Pickleball, Tuesday Trivia.

Wordle 990 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #268
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Currently reading:
North Woods - 44% completed, I like it.
Sandokan - Emilio Salgari, 14%. pirates, I think I will like it.

Wednesday. Some rain today. Starting during the night. The day should end with partly cloudy. Today is women's bible study. Then will see; pool, pickleball. Maybe cook up some chili or something.

Currently read North Woods which I will finish today. Also reading Sandokan on the kindle but unfortunately seem to fall asleep so it is going slow.

Connections
Puzzle #269
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Wordle 991 3/6

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Wow! Twenty - two books already, Kristel. And I am still on my 9th book, though I spent nearly a week trying to plow through Wolf Hall , which I have put aside for now - I got to page 363, and then the Women's Prize Longlist came out and I found a better book.

Nice work on Wordle, I think it took me 5 tries yesterday.

>149 vancouverdeb:, Hi Deborah. I find it better to do audiobooks by Hilary Mantel. I enjoyed her books but they are dense.

Thursday
Connections
Puzzle #270
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Wordle 992 5/6

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24.

Book North Woods - Daniel Mason
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2023
Acquisition date/place: March 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 5 stars
Book description/summary: the epic tale of a house
Challenge(s): f2f, TIOLI
Author: US
List book: it has made some lists
Genre historical fiction
Liked: I liked this sweeping novel about a place and beautiful prose.
Disliked: can't think of anything

Friday and sun with some clouds today. Must do laundry. I’m a bit sore so guess I’ve over done it again but it makes no sense. Oh well.

I made some progress with The Buddha of Suburbia. 50% done. It’s so so. Not really liking it.

I did not make any progress with Sandokan as I kept falling asleep.

Yesterday I made a batch of chili in crockpot. So I have food for awhile.

Agenda: Washing cloths, avoiding any physical exercise today. Out for early supper with people from IBE that watch my place when I am gone.

Connections
Puzzle #271
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Wordle 993 5/6

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You and I were so similar with our solving today—I love when I can get Connections with no misses! I’m going to go try Strands again— have you tried that game out? (sorry, I can’t remember).

Have a great weekend!

Karen O

>155 klobrien2:, Karen, I've never heard of Strands so I went over and tried it. Strands #6
“FRAGILE: handle with care”
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I used 7 hints. I have no idea if I did well or not but I would think it was just mediocre.

Greetings, Saturday, Florida. Partly cloudy, weather in the 70s in the morning, humid.

Not sure what I will do today. I will start reading Home by Marilynne Robinson.

Read a bit in the night of Sandokan. I wish I could say I am enjoying it but I am not. I just am not enjoying his behavior. But perhaps that is the point.

Connections
Puzzle #272
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🟩🟩🟩🟩It did not come easy today.

Wordle 994 3/6

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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩This was “impressive”.

>156 Kristelh: I think that's pretty good! I used hints (once I figured them out!). I'm on my computer, and I solved on my ipad, so I'll see if I can post my "results" when I'm back there...

It's a different kind of puzzle, a lot tougher than a "word search" so I'll probably stick with it for a while. I'm glad you tried it out!

Karen O.

P.s. No, I can’t see where played games get retained. I’m sure I used a hint at least four times though…and probably before I got my first correct word.

25.
Book Buddha of Suburbia - Hanif Kureishi
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1990
Acquisition date/place: Audible/2023
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.4
Book description/summary: first generation/British Indian coming of age.
Challenge(s): TBR takedown/reading 1001
Author: British Pakistani
List book: 1001
Genre fiction/coming of age
Liked: it is a well told coming of age, first generation
Disliked: sexual explicit

Sunday

Today is church day. Another partly cloudy 80 degree day. Will be heading up to Minnesota on Wednesday for a brief visit and then back here until April sometime. Yesterday was a mellow day. Road bike. Did some reading. Currently reading Home and Sandokan.

Connections
Puzzle #273
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Wordle 995 4/6

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Strands #7
“Sounds good to me”
💡🔵🔵🔵
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It's Monday. Sunny and definitely less humid, morning high in 50s.
Today's Agenda: out to lunch with to ladies to celebrate their birthdays. Then maybe some pickleball later.

I leave for a brief visit to Minnesota on Wednesday.

Reading:
Sandokan 57% done
Home 69% done

Puzzles yet to be done.

Connections
Puzzle #274
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Wordle 996 4/6

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Strands #8
“To put it mildly”
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Daily Quordle 777
4️⃣7️⃣
6️⃣8️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
🟨⬜⬜🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜🟨⬜🟨
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Antiwordle #764
8 guesses

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
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⬛🟨🟨🟨⬛
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Tuesday, another sunny day in Florida.

Connections
Puzzle #275
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Wordle 997 6/6

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Daily Quordle 778
6️⃣4️⃣
5️⃣8️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩🟨⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟨
🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Antiwordle #765
10 guesses

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
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Strands #9
“Ruler’s decree”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
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26.
Book Home - Marilynn Robinson
Format: book/audiobook
Original publication date: 2008
Acquisition date/place: 2011
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 stars
Book description/summary: family generations/secrets/forgiveness
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm
Author: US author
List book: 1001, Women's Prize
Genre fiction
Liked: I liked the subject, the character study
Disliked:

Wednesday, Sunny in Florida again. Fly home to Minnesota later today for a short visit.

Connections
Puzzle #276
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Wordle 998 4/6

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Reading; I finished Home yesterday. I liked it and gave it 4 stars. I do plan to read the rest; Lila and Jack.

Also planning to start The Grass Harp.

Strands #10
“One thousand followers”
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Thursday from Minnesota, morning temp is 40. Cloudy, no color because of course everything is gray and brown. No snow and no ice on the lakes. Geese are back. They always are back in March by this time.

I finished Sandokan and will review it later. I wish I could say I liked it but I didn’t. It is a swashbuckler so if you’re into that you might want to read it. The woman was too much, the romance was too much, the bravery was too much.

Wordle 999 3/6

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Connections
Puzzle #277
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I started The Grass Harp but it hasn’t grabbed me yet.

Strands #11
“Get animated”
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Friday, temps 33 this morning. Sun today. That’ll be nice.

Wordle 1,000 🎉 4/6

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Strands #12
“Old haunts”
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🟡🔵🔵🔵

Bombed on connections; Connections
Puzzle #278
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27.
Book Sandokan - Emilio Salgari
Format: kindle
Original publication date: 1900
Acquisition date/place: Kindle, Jan 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 2 stars
Book description/summary: Pirates in the China Sea sent by Italian author
Challenge(s): Reading 1001 botm March 2024.
Author: Italian
List book: 1001
Genre adventure story
Liked: I was glad that it wasn’t long
Disliked: disliked the characters

I finished The Grass Harp by Truman Capote yesterday. Currently reading The Man From St. Petersburg by Ken Follett.

Yesterday went to Granddaughter’s school play. They did Wizard of Oz. Very fun. Nice job CCS.

Strands #13
“Grow up!”
🔵🔵🟡🔵
🔵🔵🔵🔵
🔵

Wordle 1,001 5/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜🟨
⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟨🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Bombed again;
Connections
Puzzle #279
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28.
Book The Grass Harp - Truman Capote
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1951
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: life in the tree
Challenge(s): AAC
Author: American
List book: no
Genre novella
Liked: relationship more important that principles
Disliked: I didn't engage with the story

Only 100+ posts behind again, Kristel. I just cannot keep up these days!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

>189 alcottacre:, Thanks for stopping by. I left a note over at your place. Have a good visit with you mom.

Sunday, in Minnesota. Morning temperature is 21 degrees. Today will go to church.

Connections
Puzzle #280
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟪🟪🟪🟪Finally solved one.

And how about this? Wordle 1,002 2/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Strands #14
“Outside interests”
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵🔵🔵

My old brain seems to be working today.
Currently reading The Man From St. Petersburg - Ken Follett.The setting for this one is pre WWI and it involves espionage.

>191 Kristelh: >192 Kristelh: Wow! Stellar solving! I read you’re in Minnesota? I saw some little, tiny snowflakes falling! A good thing that St. Paul had their St. Patrick’s parade yesterday—it is chilly out there!

Have a great weekend!

Karen O

>194 klobrien2:, yes, I am in Minnesota and it likes to get cold when I come to visit. I will fly back to Florida on Tuesday and then come back sometime mid April.

Still in Minnesota and it has been miserable cold, mostly because not only is it cold but the wind is so strong making it feel colder.

Yesterday we had corn beef and cabbage in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Spent time with family. Did read a bit in the evening.

Connections
Puzzle #281
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I got the purple first, yeah me.

Wordle 1,003 4/6

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Hi, Kristel. I loved the Gilead trilogy. I hope to revisit Home one of these days. I remember also loving The Man From St. Petersburg, which I probably read back in the 80s. I really liked his early espionage books.

Strands #15
“World piece”
💡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵🔵💡
🔵🟡

Back in Florida. Temp was in 70s. So cooler. Played pickleball, went to trivia. Read a bit of The Black Arrow. I did finish The Man From St. Petersburg.

Wordle 1,004 2/6

🟩🟨🟩🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Strands #16
“That’s fortunate”
💡🔵🔵🟡
🔵🔵💡🔵

Did not get Connections today.
Did not get all four in Quordle.
Nine guesses for antiwordle.

Kristel, I had forgotten how much you disliked The Wren , The Wren, as did I . I recall reading your remarks earlier this year and commenting - no sex please, I'm British, as the saying goes. I'm not actually British, but too much sex and swearing is definitely a turn off for me. I remember that I DNF'd her book, The Gathering, which won the Booker Prize because it has altogether too much swearing. I guess she is just not my kind of author.

I'm am enjoying Strands a lot . It's a lot of fun! Congratulations on getting Wordle in 2.

Hi Deb.
I’ve read 3 books by Anne Enright now;
The Gathering, 3.5 stars
Actress 3 stars
The Wren the Wren 2 stars

I feel that a good author can write without giving all the sexual details and still get the message out. And I also believe communication can be improved by less swearing instead of more. But I’ve been told I’m wrong and that swearing is a sign of intelligence.

I enjoy the word puzzles. Connections has been too hard lately.

Wednesday. It’s a pretty day with sunshine. Out for luncheon. Things are winding down here in Florida.

Connections
Puzzle #283
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Wordle 1,005 5/6

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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Strands #17
“Back and forth”
💡🔵🔵🔵
🔵🔵🟡🔵
🔵

Nothing spectacular today but at least I finished.

29.
Book The Man From St. Petersburg - Ken Follett
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1982
Acquisition date/place: March 2024/Libby
Decimal/ Star rating: 4 star
Book description/summary: espionage, assassin, family secrets
Challenge(s): BAC
Author: Welsh
List book: no
Genre historical fiction, suspense, espionage
Liked: easily engaged
Disliked:

It’s Thursday. Today it is starting out cloudy but should be a good day. I will do some shopping this morning. Then pickleball and dominoes. The season is slowing down as a lot of people will leave after March is done. Some earlier because of Easter. I will return home in April. Date not firm yet but sometime around the 12th.

Reading The Black Arrow by Stevenson. It is about the Wars of the Roses but more of an adventure story.

I don’t know much about this time period in history.

Connections
Puzzle #284
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Strands #18
“What’s the issue? ”
💡🔵💡🔵
🔵🟡🔵🔵
🔵

Wordle 1,006 3/6

🟨🟨⬜🟨⬜
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30.
Book The Black Arrows - Robert Louis Sevenson
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1883
Acquisition date/place: Libby, March 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 3 stars
Book description/summary: black arrow fellowship in the time of Wars of Roses
Challenge(s): War Room Challenge
Author: Scottish
List book: no, classic
Genre Adventure, Romance
Liked: I learned a little about something I knew little about
Disliked: I was often lost and therefore not engaged.

Friday in Florida, Rain and thunderstorm.

Currently reading: Call it Sleep - Henry Roth. Reading 1001, American author, story of immigration.

Saturday morning. No rain at the moment. We got over 4 inches in the last 24 hours.

Currently reading Call it Sleep at about 9% done.

Games:
Strands #20
“Romeo and Juliet”
🔵🔵🔵🔵
🟡🔵🔵🔵

Connections
Puzzle #286
🟩🟩🟩🟩
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Wordle 1,008 3/6

⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜
🟨🟨⬜🟨⬜
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>207 Kristelh: Awesome puzzling today!

Karen O

>208 klobrien2:, Thank you Karen

Sunday morning, currently reading Call It Sleep by Henry Roth. A nice day with sun and a high of 80 is predicted.

StConnections
Puzzle #287
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Wordle 1,009 3/6

⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Strands #21
“Lock steps”
💡🔵🔵💡
🔵💡🔵💡
🔵🟡🔵 Struggled with this one today.

Monday morning. Things slowing up here in Florida as people starting heading north. I will leave sometime in April.

Wordle 1,010 4/6

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Connections
Puzzle #288
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Strands #22
“Sign language”
💡🔵🔵🔵
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵

31.

Book Call It Sleep - Henry Roth
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 1934
Acquisition date/place: March 2024 Hoopla Digital
Decimal/ Star rating: 5 stars
Book description/summary: Jewish novel; immigrant, family, childhood (dialect, culture, family)
Challenge(s): Special Event, GR
Author: American Jewish
List book: 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die,
The Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read
Genre Jewish novel, fiction, literary fiction, modernist novel
Liked: I liked the story, I think there is much that remains relevant today with the large numbers of immigrants that are forming slums in border towns and sanctuary cities.
Disliked: Some things remain unanswered. The reader is left to make their own conclusions.

Wednesday. It's been a pretty warm day in Florida, 86 degrees.
I did start my next book; The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. This is from the Booker Winner List. It is interesting book with the protagonist being dead and looking back on life. Set in Sri Lanka. So far I think I like it, but it is early.

I did all my puzzle games. My brain was so so. I did not finish Corrections but I did finish Squardle. It took be six tries to get Wordle. I only got 7 on antiwordle but I did complete quordle.

I'll be interested in your thoughts on The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, Kristel. I'm not sure if is for me, but it is a Booker Winner so I may get to it. I'm really enjoying Strands, among the NYT word games. Fingers crossed, I seem to be fairly successful at it.

>216 vancouverdeb:, Deborah, So far I am liking the “concept” of the book; telling the story backwards from death. There is sexual content which can be a turn off. So far it fits with the story.

Thursday. A bit of clouds today. It rained during the night. Life is getting quiet here in Florida with so many returning to their northern homes. I too am making plans.

Wordle 1,013 4/6

🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜
🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩⬜🟨🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩, brain better today.

Strands #25
“Off the shelf”
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🟡🔵🔵
Pretty easy for us readers

Connections
Puzzle #291
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I played https://squaredle.com 03/28:
*53/53 words (+15 bonus words)
📖 In the top 7% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 2

Good Friday
Currently reading The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, Judges and trying to read The Melancholy of Resistance.
On the Agenda for Good Friday
Water Aerobics. It’s a bit cold, 59 degrees now, hope it warms up by 10 am.
Fish Fry @ local Methodist Church
Attend Good Friday Service

Wordle 1,014 4/6

🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜
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⬜🟨🟨🟨🟩
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Connections
Puzzle #292
🟩🟨🟨🟩
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🟦🟦🟦🟦

This was hard today; Strands #26
“Pardon my French!”
💡🔵💡🔵
💡🔵💡🔵
💡🔵🟡🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 03/29:
58/58 words (+28 bonus words)
📖 In the top 2% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 3

>221 Kristelh: Strands WAS hard today! I couldn’t get do a thing without hints. Hope tomorrow is easier (and in English).

Karen O

32.

Book The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date/place: Hoopla Digital, March 2024
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.6
Book description/summary: one week to get it done
Challenge(s): Booker TBR
Author: Sri Lanken/British
List book: Booker
Genre mixing tropes from thrillers, crime fiction and magic realism
Liked: the reader was excellent, interesting, well written, imaginative
Disliked: sexual content but it was well done
Also a great deal of violence

Saturday games
Wordle 1,015 5/6

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Connections
Puzzle #293
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Strands #27
“Camouflage”
💡🔵💡🔵
🔵🔵💡🔵
🟡🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 03/30:
*37/37 words (+14 bonus words)
📖 In the top 11% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 4

I'll have to put The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida on my wishlist. It looks like you really enjoyed it, Kristel.

>226 vancouverdeb:, Deborah, not sure enjoyed is the right word, there is a lot violence and sexual content but I think it was deserving of the Booker.

Happy Resurrection Sunday. I’ve been away most of day. It was a very nice day down in Florida. Now I am home and trying to catch up.

No reading done today. I did start Lessons in Chemistry yesterday. I need to get my reading plan down for April.

Catching up on my games at the moment.

Connections
Puzzle #294
🟪🟪🟪🟪
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Wordle 1,016 4/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨
🟩🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Strands #28
“It’s lit!”
💡🔵💡🔵
🟡🔵🔵🔵
🔵

I played https://squaredle.com 03/31:
*62/62 words (+31 bonus words)
📖 In the top 1% by bonus words
🔥 Solve streak: 5

Summary for March
I read 11 books in March.
1001 Books Read: 5
War Room: Wars of Roses: 1 - Fiction
Wild: The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida civil war Sri Lanka
American Author: 1
British Author: Welsh 1
Booker 1

>220 Kristelh: I was just about to ask if you abandoned The Melancholy of Resistance, Kristel, but I see you are still trying.

>224 Kristelh: Looking forward to read The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. It won't be soon, keeping it at light reading at the moment.

>231 FAMeulstee:, I haven’t abandoned The Melancholy of Resistance but I have to set it aside again because now I am reading Under the Net. I look forward to your comments on The Seven Moons….