Delta Queen's 2014 Reading - Part Four

Welcome to my latest thread. We are slowly but surely moving into summer and the halfway mark of the year. My goal of 150 books for the year is looking attainable.

Since May and June seem to be the months that magazines dedicate to weddings, I thought I would decorate my thread with pictures of vintage magazines with bridal covers.





These pictures are from 1916, 1936 and 1953.

Tickers

2014 Books Read




2014 Pages Read




2014 Books Read From My Shelves

My goal is to read at least 84 books off my shelves this year.

How I Rate Books:

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.

3.0 ★: Average, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember

3.5 ★: Above Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.

4.0 ★: A very good read and I enjoyed my time spent with this story

4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book I will remember and recommend

5.0 ★: Sheer perfection, the right book at the right time for me

2014 BOOKS READ

JANUARY

1. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (324 pages) - 4.2 ★
2. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (541 pages) - 4.5 ★
3. Ru by Kim Thuy (141 pages) - 4.2 ★
4. A Cat In The Window by Derek Tangye (142 pages} - 3.5 ★
5. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (170 Pages) - 4.0 ★
6. One of Ours by Willa Cather (326 pages) - 4.1 ★
7. The Food of Love by Anthony Capella (310 pages) - 3.3 ★
8. The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout (320 pages) - 3.4 ★
9. The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston (353 pages) - 2.8 ★
10. Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How They Came To America by Ruth Gruber (295 pages) - 4.2 ★
11. The Tall Men by Will Henry (228 pages) - 4.0 ★
12. The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell (175 pages) - 5.0 ★
13. The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman (705 pages) - 4.2 ★
14. The Passage by Justin Cronin (879 pages) - 4.6 ★
15. Hart of Empire by Saul David (337 pages) - 3.1 ★

FEBRUARY

16. The Short Life & Long Times of Mrs. Beeton by Kathryn Hughes (428 pages) - 2.8 ★
17. Mourn Not Your Dead by Deborah Crombie (310 pages) - 4.0 ★
18. Victory by Susan Cooper (186 pages) - 3.3 ★
19. Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson (290 pages) - 4.2 ★
20. Beaufort by Ron Leshem (368 pages) - 4.2 ★
21. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (400 pages) - 5.0 ★
22. The Ransom of Mercy Carter by Caroline B. Cooney (256 pages) - 4.3 ★
23. My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (166 pages) - 3.9 ★
24. Mornings In Jenin by Susan Abulhawa (352 pages) - 4.7 ★
25. Never Somewhere Else by Alex Gray (308 pages) - 3.8 ★
26. Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (464 pages) - 5.0 ★
27. Dreams of Joy by Lisa See (349 pages) - 4.5 ★
28. Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry (469 pages) - 3.7 ★
29. Sand Daughter by Sarah Bryant (471 pages) - 2.4 ★

BOOKS READ IN 2014

MARCH

30. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (336 pages) - 4.2 ★
31. Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid (150 pages) - 3.6 ★
32. Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie (228 pages) - 3.7 ★
33. Saving Cascadia by John J. Nance (360 pages) - 3.0 ★
34. Citrus County by John Brandon (248 pages) - 2.0 ★
35. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (635 pages) - 4.8 ★
36. The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd (323 pages) - 4.0 ★
37. The Jewel In the Crown by Paul Scott (518 pages) - 4.2 ★
38. The Remains of Company D by James Carl Nelson (324 pages) - 4.1 ★
39. The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (320 pages) - 4.2 ★
40. Daughter of Kura by Debra Austin (302 pages) - 3.4 ★
41. The Death Cure by James Dashner (336 pages) - 3.0 ★
42. Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard (338 pages) - 4.0 ★
43. Layer Cake by J. J. Connolly (309 pages) - 4.2 ★
44. Dear Enemy by Jean Webster (224 pages) - 4.0 ★
45. The Fallen Sparrow by Dorothy B. Hughes (200 pages) - 3.7 ★
46. Railroad Schemes by Cecelia Holland (271 pages) - 4.0 ★
47. Battles At Thrush Green by Miss Read (222 pages) - 4.0 ★
48. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (294 pages) - 4.1 ★

APRIL

49. The Overloaded Ark by Gerald Durrell (303 pages) - 3.7 ★
50. Poetry By Heart Compiled by Liz Attenborough (128 pages) - 3.4 ★
51. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour (336 pages) - 4.1 ★
52. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen (416 pages) - 4.2 ★
53. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang (520 pages) - 3.8 ★
54. World Made By Hand by James Kunstler (317 pages) - 4.0 ★
55. Cowgirl Poetry Compliled by Virginia Bennett (191 pages) - 3.8 ★
56. The Mountains of Mourning by Lois McMaster Bujold (112 pages) - 4.2 ★
57. Bloody Jack; Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer (301 pages) - 4.5 ★
58. The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol (304 pages) - 3.2 ★
59. Me and the Boys by Ellen Recknor - (416 pages) - 4.3 ★
60. Lovely Green Eyes by Arnost Lustig (256 pages) - 4.0 ★
61. Hurting Distance by Sophie Hannah (408 pages) - 4.5 ★
62. The King's Grey Mare by Rosemary Hawley Jarman (352 pages) - 4.1 ★
63. The Sacrifice by Charlie Higson (456 pages) - 4.2 ★
64. The Bat by Jo Nesbo (425 pages) - 3.7 ★

BOOKS READ IN 2014

MAY

65. The Lost Girls: Three Friends, Four Continents by Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett & Amanda Pressner (536 pages) - 3.7 ★
66. Not Yet Drown'd by Peg Kingman (424 pages) - 3.8 ★
67. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan (349 pages) - 3.4 ★
68. To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey (256 pages) - 4.3 ★
69. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (345 pages) - 4.0 ★
70. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (116 pages) - 5.0 ★
71. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (468 pages) - 5.0 ★
72. The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott (475 pages) - 4.0 ★
73. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (66 pages) - 4.1 ★
74. Lily Nevada by Cecelia Holland (224 pages) - 2.7 ★
75. Amelia's Navigator by James Knepton (65 pages) - 3.0 ★
76. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (593 pages) - 4.5 ★
77. Truth, Dare, Kill by Gordon Ferris (272 pages) - 3.3 ★
78. The Deserter by Paul Almond (266 pages) - 4.0 ★
79. Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham (222 pages) - 4.1 ★
80. Room by Emma Donoghue (415 Pages) - 5.0 ★
81. The Siege by Helen Dunmore (291 pages) - 4.2 ★

JUNE

82. Voices by Arnaldur Indridason (344 pages) - 3.4 ★
83. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (464 pages) - 4.1 ★
84. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers - 4.1 ★
85. Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer - 3.3 ★
86. Sand Queen by Helen Benedict - 4.2 ★
87. The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson - 4.0 ★
88. Summer of the Drums by T.V. Olsen - 2.8 ★

* B1 - A Book with More than 500 pages = One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (541 pages)
* I1 - A Forgotten Classic = One of Ours by Willa Cather
* N1 - A Book Made Into A Movie = The Tall Men by Will Henry
* G1 - A Book Published This Year = Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen
* O1 - A Book With A Number in the Title = The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

*B2 - A Book Written By Someone Under Thirty - Cinder by Marissa Meyer
* I2 - A Book With Non-Human Characters = A Cat In The Window by Derek Tangye
* N2 - A Funny Book =
* G2 - A Book With A Female Author = The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman
* O2 - A Book With a Mystery = The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout

* B3 - A Book with a One Word Title = Ru by Kim Thuy
* I3 - A Book of Short Stories = My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
* N3 - FREE SPACE
* G3 - A Book Set On A Different Continent = Sand Daughter by Sarah Bryant
* O3 - A Book of Non-Fiction = Haven: The Dramatic Story Of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How Tney Came To America by Ruth Gruber

* B4 - The First Book By A Favorite Author = The Overloaded Ark by Gerald Durrell
* I4 - A Book You Heard About Online = Beaufort by Ron Leshem
* N4 - A Best Selling Book = Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
* G4 - A Book Based on a True Story = The Ransom of Mercy Carter by Caroline B. Cooney
* O4 - A Book at the Bottom of Your TBR = Hart of Empire by Saul David

* B5 - A Book Your Friend Loves = Layer Cake by J. J. Connolly
* I5 - A Book That Scares You = The Passage by Justin Cronin
* N5 - A Book That Is Older Than 10 Years - Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie
* G5 - The Second Book In A Series =
* O5 - A Book With a Blue Cover = The Short Life & Long Times of Mrs. Beeton by Kathryn Hughes



* B1 - A Book With A Female Heroine = Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Cordelia)
* I1 - A Book Set In High School = Citrus County by John Brandon
* N1 - The Last Book of a Trilogy = The Death Cure by James Dashner
* G1 - A Book With A Color in the Title = Lovely Green Eyes by Arnost Lustig
* O1 - A First Book in a Series = Never Somewhere Else by Alex Gray

* B2 - A Book Set In The Future = World Made By Hand by James Kunstler
* I2 - A Book With a Breakup = The Food of Love by Anthony Capella
* N2 - A Book Without a Love Triangle = Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid
* G2 - A Book That Became a Movie = Wild: From Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed
* O2 - A Book Set In Paris = The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

* B3 - A Book Set in the Past = The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston
* I3 - A Book With Magic = The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
* N3 - FREE SPACE
* G3 - A Book Set In The Summer = Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard
* O3 - A Book With A Dragon =

* B4 - A Book That Made You Cry = Mornings In Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
* I4 - A Graphic Novel = The Walking Dead: Vol 17 by Robert Kirkland
* N4 - A Book Based on a Myth = Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
* G4 - A Classic "YA" Book = Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
* O4 - A Book With A Lion, A Witch or A Wardrobe =

* B5 - A Book With An Incredible Fight Scene = Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry
* I5 - A Book You Heard About On-line = The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
* N5 - A Book Set in Another World = Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
* G5 - A Book With An Epic Love Story =
* O5 - A Book With Music = The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

Tracking My Bingo Books

I am rewarding myself one book for every Bingo

Adult Bingo Card:

1. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
2. Broken Harbour by Tana French
3. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos
4. The Twelve by Justin Cronin
5. The Troop by Nick Cutter
6. On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves
7. Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave
8. Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
9. The Bear by Claire Cameron
10. The Terrorists of Irustan by Louise Marley

YA Bingo Card:

1. Caribbean Chemistry by Christopher Vanier
2. English Creek by Ivan Doig
3. Curse of the Blue Tattoo by L.A. Meyer
4. Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives Edited by Sarah Weinman
5. The Farm by Tom Rob Smith
6. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
7. Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

Books Purchased in 2014

January

1. Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block
2. Ashes by Ilsa Bick
3. Shadows: The Ashes Trilogy by Ilsa Bick
4. Monsters: The Ashes Trilogy by Ilsa Bick
5. American On Purpose by Craig Ferguson
6. Shadows in the Grass by Beverley Harper
7. Footprints of Lion by Beverley Harper
8. Think of a Number by John Verdon
9. Hawk Quest by Robert Lyndon
10. The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis
11. Prey To All by Natasha Cooper
12. A Hidden Affair by Pam Jenoff
13. Scapegallows by Carol Birch
14. The Moon In the Water by Pamela Belle
15. Wintercombe by Pamela Belle
16. Clean Cut by Lynda La Plante
17. Creeping Ivy by Natasha Cooper
18. Die A Little by Megan Abbott
19. The Funeral Boat by Kate Ellis
20. A Few Acres of Snow by Robert Leckie
21. O Pioneers by Willa Cather
22. Song of the Lark by Willa Cather
23. Fault Lines by Natasha Cooper

February

24. Daughters of the River Huong by Uyen Nichole Duong
25. Fields of Grief by Giles Blunt
26. The Officer's Lover by Pam Jenoff
27. Whispers In Autumn by Trisha Leigh
28. Winter Omens by Trisha Leigh
29. Betrayals in Spring by Trisha Leigh
30. Summer Ruins by Trisha Leigh
31. Bloody Harvests by Richard Kunzmann
32. Salamander Cotton by Richard Kunzman
33. Into the Far Mountains by Fred Grove
34. Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
35. The Ladies Maid by Dilly Court
36. Reality Check by Peter Abrahams
37. Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid
38. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
39. The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin
40. A Gift Upon the Shore by M.K. Wren
41. God's Own Country by Ross Raisin
42. War Story by Derek Robinson
43. The Getaway by Jim Thompson
44. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
45. Thunder God by Paul Watkins
46. The King's Grey Mare by Rosemary Hawley Jarman
47. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Bingo)
48. The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marion Keyes
49. Tamarack by William Kent Krueger

Books Purchased in 2014 (con't)

March

50. Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
51. Middlemere by Judith Lennox
52. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
53. Broken Harbour by Tana French (Bingo)
54. At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon
55. Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
56. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
57. Witchlight by Susan Fletcher
58. Night Crossing by Robert Ryan
59. Twilight of Empire by Allan Eckert
60. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie
61. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
62. Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd
63. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
64. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
64. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
65. The Troop by Nick Cutter (Bingo)
66. City of Thieves by David Benioff
67. Amelia's Navigator by James Knepton
68. On The Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves (Bingo)
69. What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
70. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (ARC)
71. The Murder Wall by Mari Hannah
72. Settled Blood by Mari Hannah
73. Little Girl Lost by Brian McGilloway
74. Gallows Lane by Brian McGilloway
75. Cold In the Earth by Aline Templeton
76. The Darkness and the Deep by Aline Templeton
77. Lying Dead by Aline Templeton
78. Teacher, Teacher by Jack Sheffield
79. Mister Teacher by Jack Sheffield
80. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos (Bingo)
81. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
82. The Man In the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

April

83. Cemetary Lake by Paul Cleave (Bingo)
84. The Rainbow and the Rose by Nevil Shute
85. The Ghost Door by Pat Barker
86. The Eye In the Door by Pat Barker
87. Pastoral by Nevil Shute
88. The Chains of Fate by Pamela Belle
89. Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey
90. Shift by Jennifer Bradbury (Bingo)
91. Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
92. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan
93. The Bear by Claire Cameron (Bingo)
94. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
95. Herald of Joy by Pamela Belle
96. The Twelve by Justin Cronin (Bingo)
97. Push Start by Alan Savage
98. The Terrorists of Irustan by Louise Marley (Bingo)
99. Second Star by Dana Stabenow
100. A Cold Day for Murder by Dana Stabenow
101. Caribbean Chemistry by Christopher Vanier (Bingo)
102. The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles
103. The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann
104. The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley
105. English Creek by Ivan Doig (Bingo)
106. Who Shot the Water Buffalo? by Ken Babbs
107. Curse of the Blue Tattoo by L.A. Meyer (Bingo)
108. Under the Jolly Roger by L.A. Meyer

Books Purchased in 2014 (con't)

May

109. High Rising by Angela Thirkell
110. Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene
111. Sons of Texas by Elmer Kelton
112. Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold
113. The Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold
114. A Curse As Dark As Gold by Elizabeth Bunce
115. Sea Witch by Helen Hollick
116. Pirate Code by Helen Hollick
117. Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives Edited by Sarah Weinman - Bingo Book
118. The Golden Scales by Parker Bilal
119. Blackman's Coffin by Mark de Castrique
120. The Fitzgerald Ruse by Mark de Castrique
121. Blood on the Moon by James Ellroy
122. The Farm by Tom Rob Smith - Bingo Book
123. The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri
124. The Terracotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri
125. Mortal by Andrea Badenoch
126. The Judas Heart by Ingrid Black
127. To a Native Shore by Valerie Anand
129. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin
130. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K Le Guin
131. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K Le Guin
132. The Best of Sisters by Dilly Court
133. The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh
134. Midnight Pearls by Debbie Viguie
135. Love By Design by Rosalie Ash
136. The Brandons by Angela Thirkell
137. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill
138. The Damascened Blade by Barbara Cleverly
139. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
140. Beauty by Robin McKinley
141. Ash by Malinda Lo
142. Death Message by Mark Billingham

June

143. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - Bingo Book
144. Red Hill by Jamie McGuire - Bingo Book
145. Soul Catcher by Michael White
146. The Mike Hammer Collection - Vol.1 by Mickey Spillane
147. The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie
148. The Clocks by Agatha Christie
149. The Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard by Arthur Conan Doyle
150. Cloudy in the West by Elmer Kelton
151. Dead Water by Ann Cleeves
152. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout
153. Buried by Mark Billingham - 6th Thingaversary
154. The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers - 6th Thingaversary
155. The Cartographer of No Man's Land by P.S. Duffy - 6th Thingaversary
156. The Orenda by Joseph Boyden - 6th Thingaversary
157. The Foundling by Georgette Heyer
158. Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer
159. Dare Me by Megan Abbott
160. The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson

Currently Reading



The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett & Amanda Pressner
Not Yet Drown'd by Peg Kingman

Happy New thread, Judy! Good luck with the surgery tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you. Good review of the Bat. I'll have to give that one a try at some point.

Good luck tomorrow, Judy!

>14 msf59: & >15 katiekrug: Thanks Mark and Katie, I will be glad to get it over and hope to soon be back to the serious business of reading! ;)

Happy New Thread! And congrats on almost finishing those bingo cards!

>17 Kassilem: Thanks, Melissa. I hope to make some more progress on those bingo cards next month!

Hi Judy, I love the continuation of the vintage magazine covers on this thread. Seeing the amount of books you bought so far this year makes me feel much better about my book purchases for the year. Good luck with your surgery.

Happy new thread, Judy and good luck with the surgery!

Thinking of you today, Judy.

Also, Happy New Thread! And I love the toppers, especially that last one. So pretty!

Dropping by to wish you luck!

Sweet thread toppers! Waiting to hear that the surgery went splendidly!

Happy new thread, Judy. Even with eye surgery, you've read over 60 books! Impressive. I hope your second surgery goes as well as the first one.

Happy new thread, Judy! Thinking and praying for you as you get ready for the surgery. Take it easy and get lots of rest, my friend. :)

Happy New Thread Judy! That's right, surgery day today, wishing you the very best, and trust you'll be recouping just as well as you did the first time round. Lovely magazine covers up there, but at first glance I thought you'd be announcing an upcoming wedding among your relations. You're doing so well on the Bingo action; are you picking books to fit the challenges or just listing them if they happen to fit?

Happy new thread Judy and all the best with your surgery. What a relief it will be to have it all out of the way!

Happy New Thread, Judy! How smart of you to get it all set up BEFORE your eye surgery--I join the others in wishing all to go optimally.

"My goal of 150 books for the year is looking attainable."

That is awesome, Judy! I have downsized my goal for this year to a mere 75 books and I'm not yet confident that I'll make it!

I hope everything went well today.

Happy new thread!

Another one with fingers and toes crossed for you Judy.
The vintage magazine covers really adorn your thread nicely dear Guru.

Thinking of you today Judy and looking forward to hearing how you're doing.

Best of luck with your cataract procedure, Judy. I came to know some 2 and a half years back that I would need them as well sometime in near future, but the doctor thinks we can wait awhile and see how (if) the clouding grows.

Hope everything went smoothly, Judy! Looking forward to hearing the details.

Hi, Judy ~ Hope the procedure went smoothly and your recovery is well underway!

Love the thread toppers!

I'm in the middle of Bloody Jack on audio and enjoying it a lot!

Hi, Judy! I'm just stopping by to check out your lovely new thread and send good wishes that all went well in the surgery.

Happy new thread, Judy - I LOVE the vintage magazine covers! - and looking forward to your posting once you have recovered from your surgery.

Have a great weekend towards full recovery Judy.

I'm back. The procedure went very smoothly, perhaps it was my knowing what to expect but it seemed to be both easier and quicker this time. The new eye is amazing and I really don't need my distance glasses any more. I was able to read by that evening and I have read a lot over the last couple of days, finishing up a couple of books. I also have been watching TV, luckily I had saved up the three Game of Thrones episodes so far this year and watched them last night. I love that series!

It will probably take me a few days to get around to everyone's threads, but I am looking forward to visiting with everybody.

Thanks for all good wishes.

>19 Familyhistorian: Meg, seeing all my purchases listed definitely makes me feel like I have gone overboard, but most of the books are at reduced prices and many were the $1.99 daily deal from Amazon. Even so, I am thinking that I should pull the reins in a little for the second half of the year.

>20 wilkiec:,>21 scaifea:,>22 humouress:,>23 countrylife:,>24 BLBera: & >25 jolerie: I appreciate all your good wishes both in regards to my procedure and for my new thread. I am looking forward to visiting your threads soon.

>26 Smiler69: I never thought about the wedding announcement aspect of my thread, Ilana, but no, no weddings planned in our immediate future. Although I do have a couple of nephews that may be getting there soon. I haven't planned any Bingo reads up to now, but now that I am down to so few squares I think I will be planning them from now on. For example I made sure that my historical fiction read for this month is set in Paris.

>27 souloftherose: Hi Heather, yes, I am so glad these procedures are over and done with. I feel like they have been hanging over my head for far too long.

>28 ronincats: Thanks, Roni.

>29 EBT1002: Ellen, you see what you have to look forward to when you retire - lots and lots of reading time! When I was working full time and raising my family I think I only managed 5 or 6 books a month.

>30 jennyifer24:, >31 Thebookdiva:, >32 PaulCranswick:, >33 Smiler69: I can't tell you how wonderful all your kind thoughts are. I think all these good wishes must be the reason everything went so smoothly for me.

>34 PiyushC: Piyush, I can certainly reassure you that this is a fairly simple and painfree procedure. I was told about 10 years ago that I would need to have this done, and now, I am so happy it is over and done with.

>35 msf59: Thanks Mark, I will spare you the gory details! (Actually there weren't any) :)

>36 Storeetllr: Isn't Bloody Jack a fun read, Mary! I have already got the next two books in the series on my shelves. Of course, knowing how good they are I will probably end up saving them for when I need an uplifting read.

>37 tymfos: Thanks, Terri.

>38 lkernagh: Lori, I love the vintage covers, too. The 1953 one reminds me of when I was a little girl and would dream of my own wedding.

>39 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul. I really miss LT when I can't drop in on a daily basis, and now I am looking forward to getting caught up, although I have to limit myself to short visits at first.

65. Lost Girls: Three Friends, Four Continents by Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett & Amanda Pressner - 3.7 ★
Category: 14 Newsworthy Facts
TIOLI #4: A Book About a Group of Women



The Lost Girls: Three Friends, Four Continents, One Unconventional Detour Around the World, is a book about friendship, travel, inspiration, and discovering who you are. Three young women, Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett and Amanda Pressner, feeling they had all reached a crossroad in life, decided to take this giant leap into the unknown and travel the world together.

Traveling and searching for the solution to their life-alternating questions about career choices and where they wanted to go with their lives, they planned their destinations and set about achieving their dreams. From hiking the Inca Trail, volunteering in Kenya, to road-tripping in Australia the three women alternate telling their stories although I found it difficult to figure which one was doing the writing at any given time as their voices and writing styles were pretty much identical.

By the end of the book, I had really had enough of the inner soul searching and all the inspiration that these girls seems to experience in every chapter. Overall it was enjoyable read, but perhaps not the best book for me. As I am in a place in my life where I don���t really need the inspiration or self discovery, I would have preferred the book to have been shorter and more focused on their actual travels. I do think The Lost Girls would really speak to young women in their twenties with their own life decisions ahead of them.

I too thought your thread toppers were a wedding announcement, Judy. Ahh well, I'll put the confetti away, shall I? ;-)

Your review of The Lost Girls reminded me of what I felt about Eat, Pray Love. I wished it was a book more about her travels, the people she met, the food and the culture of each country rather than her soul-searching angst every step of the way. That book didn't work for me at all. So thanks for the heads up, I'll not be putting this one in my obese wish list.

>40 DeltaQueen50: I wish that I could say that most of my acquisitions were $1.99 but I think I pay full price for the majority of my books - probably a good thing or there would be more of them. Good to see that you recovered so quickly, Judy.

>43 cameling: I have avoided Eat, Pray, Love, Caro, and don't see that changing anytime soon. The Lost Girls was good for dipping in and out of as my vision stabilized, but certainly not a memorable read for me.

>44 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. I don't begruge any money that I spend on books, I think that I usually get full value for amount spent.

66. Not Yet Drown'd by Peg Kingman - 3.8 ★
Category: N is the 14th Letter
May GeoCat: South Asia - Focus on India
TIOLI #10: Book is Divided into Named Chapters



Not Yet Drown’d by Peg Kingman is a mixture of historical fiction, mystery and romance and ultimately my feelings toward this book were quite mixed as well. Young widow Catherine MacDonald has also been grieving the loss of her twin brother who was said to have drowned in India during the monsoons of 1821. After a full year passes, she receives a package from him. Among the assorted contents is a cryptic message sent as a retitled musical piece. Not Yet Drown’d, the message says. She is then forced to flee from an over-bearing relative of her step-daughter Grace, who wishes to take the child to America to be raised. She and Grace join her older brother on a trip to India which gives her the chance to search for some answers.

The author has done meticulous research, but so much detail really slowed the book down and interrupted the flow of the narrative. Although some of this information was very tedious, other parts were quite interesting . The storyline I felt, was overly predictable but I loved the setting and thought that author was excellent at describing these exotic surroundings.

Ultimately, I found plenty to savour in Not Yet Drown’d and I think the story would have been much improved by some very tight editing. As this was the author’s debut novel, I would certainly like to see how her writing develops in future books.

Currently Reading:



To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Welcome back, Judy! Glad to hear the procedure went smoothly and you are on the mend. :)
I have The Painted Girls on my TBR mountain so will look forward to what you think of it.

Glad to hear that your operation went smoothly!

Very curious to find out what you think of The Painted Girls when you finish reading it, Judy. I liked, but had some quibbles, with Buchanan's first book The Day The Falls Stood Still. The Painted Girls keeps moving off and on my potential future reading list so I am looking forward for some insight that may help me make a decision one way or the other.

So glad to hear that it is OVER and successful, Judy. Reading ahoy!

A big "woo-hoo!" from me that your second cataract surgery went so smoothly. There will be no stopping your reading now! I am interested in what you think of the Josephine Tey book you are reading now. She is on my list of authors to try this year, and I was thinking of the ubiquitous The Daughter of Time but perhaps that one might be a better choice. No pressure! :-)

Glad to hear that your second eye surgery went so well and you're booking right along! I like your review of Lost Girls and will skip that one. And nice to know I'm not the only one avoiding Eat, Pray, Love!

Hi Judy! OM gosh! the Bride's magazine from 1953 is my mom's wedding dress! Although she was married in 1960 it's almost identical. I would have loved to worn it but I'm 5 inches taller than my mom and altering it wasn't going to look right.

I'm also happy that your eye surgery is a success! That cataract procedure is amazing! Very happy reading to you!!!!

Judy, how great that both your eyes are done! My father was going for his check-up on eye 1 today and the measurements for eye 2, but I haven't heard how that went yet. Happy reading!

>48 jolerie: Hi Valerie, my thoughts on The Painted Girls will be posted below. There was lots to like about this book, but the unforgivable sin of having characters that I was totally indifferent about was hard to overcome.

>49 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian.

>50 lkernagh: I wonder Lori, if your quibbles about The Day The Falls Stood Still were the same as mine.

>51 ronincats: You are so right, Roni, it's full steam ahead with the reading!

>52 rosalita: Julia, I have pretty much loved every Josephine Tey that I have read and I don't think you could go wrong with whichever one you choose as your first. The Alan Grant books can be read in any order and her stand alones such as Brat Farrar and Miss Pym Disposes are excellent. I am working my way through her books and after To Love and Be Wise, it will be on to The Daughter of Time which also seems to be very highly regarded.

>53 countrylife: Hi Cindy. I think there are many of us that like to read travel books for the actual travel experience not the belly-button gazing that often seems to go with it. In the case of The Lost Girls, the answers they were looking for have already been answered by me many years ago.

>54 Carmenere: I love that dress, Lynda. I think it is a classic. I also loved my Mom's wedding dress that she wore in 1947 but only ever wore it once as a Halloween costume. It was far too dated and yellowed to be worn as an actual wedding dress again.

>55 susanj67: Susan, wish your Dad good luck. I am sure he will be very happy with the results.

67. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan - 3.4 ★
Category: 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
Reading Through Time May Theme: Art
Book Bingo: A Book Set in Paris
TIOLI #9: A Trade-sized Paperback



Edgar Degas created a statuette entitled “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” and in the pages of The Painted Girls, author Cathy Marie Buchanan tells the story of not only the young model, Marie van Goethem but also that of her sisters, Antoinette and Charlotte. Living in the slums of Montmartre with an alcoholic mother the three girls, needing a steady income for survival, plan to be dancers at the Paris Opera. To become a dancer is a way for them to avoid the pitfalls of life on the streets, they start as Petit Rats with long hours of practice, learning to leap with grace and balance en pointe. Doing this they can earn enough to keep from starvation, but always there is the chance that their talent will advance them with the benefits of more money and a much better lifestyle.

As the story starts, 17 year old Antoinette has been dismissed from the Opera for rudeness and being wilful. Marie and Charlotte are just beginning as Petit Rats. Marie works hard and appears to be starting her climb, she catches the eye of the artist Degas and works on the side as his model. Charlotte at 7 is the baby of the family and is much more self-absorbed. A pretty but selfish child, she appears to be the natural dancer of the three.

The story unfolds by alternating the viewpoint between Antoinette and Marie, and there is a lot to take in. This appears to be not only the story of these sisters, but also of Paris in 1878. This is a gritty tale of the ballet, the brothels, the taverns, and the prisons of Paris. These girls have choices but hanging over their heads at all times is the need to survive.

This was a fascinating story, but personally I always felt a step or so removed from the characters. So while I appreciated this tale of fate and destiny and loved the setting, The Painted Girls did not captivate me to the point of becoming totally absorbed. In fact I felt so disengaged that I found myself frequently checking to see how many more pages were left in the book. I love to love or hate my characters, but indifference just leaves me cold.

I just went over to the TIOLI Thread to add The Painted Girls to the Wiki and I found a message from Citizenjoyce thanking me for listing the book. She also read it and gave it 5 stars. So in the interest of fairness I thought I should let people who are considering the book know that my poor opinion is certainly countered by Joyce. She writes:

"it is just wonderful. Her quote from Le Figaro sums it up "No social being is less protected than the young Parisian girl -- by laws, regulations, and social customs." This is historical fiction about the van Goethem sisters, one of whom served as the model for some of Edgar Degas's works involving ballet girls. I was captivated by the way Cathy Marie Buchanan interwove tales of the poor of 19th century France, Emile Zola's scientific realism, the "science of psysiognomy, the social order at the Opera, family life and the justice system. What makes the book a complete 5 star read for me is that she includes on her website the pictures she discusses in the book: www.cathymariebuchanan.com/art

>57 DeltaQueen50: - Sounds like I can safely leave The Painted Ladies off my future reading list unless it jumps into my hands. As for my quibbles with Buchanan's first book, I had some difficulty understanding the motivation of the characters and really felt no compassion for them. It was a great story from the historical perspective of the Ontario hydro and the period, so well I didn't hate the story, I wasn't head over heels in love with it either.

Interesting thoughts on The Painted Girls, Judy. I guess I will have to read it for myself to see which camp I fall into. :)

Judy, I think between you and Joyce, you'll have prompted me to move The Painted Girls to the top of my tbr this month! I got the audio version from the library's OverDrive collection sometime last year and was in no great hurry to get to it, but now that you've brought up the Paris Opera and the world of the petits rats and with Joyce's reference to Zola's naturalism on top of it, it just seems like a must-read, considering how interested I am in these things. As you may or may not know, I'm currently in the (long-term) process of reading Zola's complete Rougon-Macquart 20-novel series (next is #11 Ladies' Paradise). I had among my first books about the ballet when I was maybe just 5 years old—and had just decided I MUST be a ballerina or die—an illustrated children's book about the Paris Opera and the petits rats which absolutely fascinated me (of course I dreamed on and on about becoming one too!). We had an Impressionist show at the museum of fine arts last year which the “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” statuette was part of (I believe there may be more than one version of this bronze casting with real tule and ribbons), I really loved Degas' paintings of dancers too from childhood onward. Really, I spent most of my childhood being in awe with everything to do with the ballet, even the most gritty aspects of that world, so that I think even if I don't particularly care for the characters I may be interested in all the period details enough to keep me going.

Thanks! :-)

>59 lkernagh: Lori, I would suspect if you had problems with her first book, you may have trouble with this book as well.

>60 jolerie: I'll be interested in which side you do fall, Valerie.

>61 Smiler69: Ilana, I would think The Painted Girls would be a perfect book for you as it touches on so many of your interests. I hope you enjoy it and I will be looking forward to your comments as well.

I keep picking up The Painted Girls in the bookstore and then putting it back. It appeals to me but not enough to pay for it and take it home. Now that I have read your review I think I will see if is at the library but if it isn't I don't think I will go out of my way to track it down.

>63 Familyhistorian: The library is probably the best way to go, Meg. If you read it and decide you love it then you can always purchase yourself a copy. If you don't love it, then at least you are not out any money.

68. To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey - 4.3 ★
14 in 14 Category: Agatha & Friends
May Murder & Mayhem
May MysteryCat: Classic Crime
TIOLI #1: A Tree is Mentioned on Any Page with Double Numbers



I always look forward to reading Josephine Tey with anticipation and To Love and Be Wise fulfilled all my expectations. When an unusually good looking young man steps into the life of best-selling author Lavina Fitch’s household he appears to be focusing his charm on Lavinia’s niece, Liz. He also befriends Liz’s fiancé Walter, a well-known radio broadcaster, and together they conceive of a shared book project. But what really lies behind Leslie Searle’s insinuation into this family? When he suddenly disappears without a trace, Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard must try to solve the mysteries surrounding this disappearance and determine if he is indeed investigating a well-planned murder.

Two words come to mind when I think of Josephine Tey - intelligent and elegant. She never under-estimates her readers, she neither spoon-feeds us nor lead us by the hand into her complex stories. The mysteries are used to this writers’ best advantage, that of exploring characters. Major or minor, her characters are well developed, unique and real. There is a sophistication to her books that never condecends it simply adds to the style.

To Love and Be Wise, with it’s detailed character development and mostly believable plot twists ensures that this book still stands up well even 60 plus years after publication. I enjoy the mysteries of Josephine Tey, but for me it’s the quality of the writing that is the main draw. There is a genuine effortlessness and great style to her writing that makes for very pleasurable reading.

Currently Reading



The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

I gave Painted Girls 4 stars I liked it but agree there was something missing.

I haven't read anything by Tey so where would be a good place to start Judy?

I read We Need to Talk About Kevin last year and it was such a disturbing read......still gives me the shivers...

Hi Judy, I'm presently reading Haruf's Plainsong and spotted your 5* review. I am LOVING this one, too! I'm just over halfway through, and it's easily a 4.5 or 5* read for me, too : ).

>67 susiesharp: It was disappointing wasn't it, Susie. I was excited to find a historical fiction story that was set in such an interesting place and time, but I really felt a wall between me and the characters.

>68 jolerie: I have loved pretty much every Josephine Tey that I have read so far, Valerie. Perhaps one of her stand alones like Brat Farrar or Miss Pym Disposes would be a good place to start. Although I don't think the Alan Grant series needs to be read in order so any of those would work as well. Of those, I really liked The Franchise Affair a lot. As for We Need to Talk About Kevin I am only 28 pages in and I can tell this is going to be a difficult read, will need to take a few breaks along the way. Perhaps some poor planning on my part but I am also hoping to get to Room by Emma Donoghue this month as well, probably another difficult read.

>69 lit_chick: Oh, I loved Plainsong so much, Nancy. I have the sequel Eventide on my shelf and have been saving it for when I really need a good book. I must also look into getting the third book in the trilogy, Benediction

I tried Painted Girls last year. For me, it was so "meh" that I abandoned it. Thumbs up for that thoughtful review of it.

>71 countrylife: You are very welcome, Cindy.

Taking frequent breaks while reading Kevin is an excellent idea. When Shriver strikes, she strikes hard!

>73 msf59: You are so right, Mark. This is quite the book, really makes one think.

Hi Judy - Glad your bionic eyes are working! Nice review of the Tey. I haven't read that one yet although I suspect that my favorite will always be The Daughter of Time. I think you're right, they don't have to be read in order.

I'm afraid I may have been too quick to say that my eyes are perfect. I am still experiencing flashes in my left eye, which was done first, and today the eye doctor has confirmed that there is some inflamation in that eye and the pupil is enlarged. He has me on some eye drops and hoping this settles it down. Apparently the flashing I am experiencing is coming from the reflection of the new lens which, probably due to the eye swelling, isn't sitting quite right. I can still read and watch tv with no problems, but being outside or in bright lights or even driving for too long can make me feel quite nauseous. Fingers crossed that this clears up as it is really p_ssing me off!

>75 BLBera: Beth, I am really looking forward to The Daughter of Time. I think I am going to love it.

69. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.0
Category: The Atomic Number of Silicon is 14
Vorkosigan Group Read
TIOLI #5: Title Contains a Word That Suggest Something Good



The Vor Game follows Miles Vorkosigan as he receives his first assignments after graduation from military college. Miles, who is the most likeable of fellows, seems to have a talent for crossing his superiors and this book is no exception. After trying his hand as a weather officer on a remote arctic base, then as a spy, he finds himself in tremendous hot water and back in charge of the Denarii fleet. His objective this time is to thwart a Cetegandan invasion and rescue the Emperor, Gregor, who has fallen into the clutches of a psychopathic woman who sees herself as the Empress of Barrayar.

With some force and plenty of guile and wits, Miles again proves how capable he is. His superiors are coming to the realization that although Miles always gets results, he does so in his own way and not necessarily by following orders. Nevertheless, he earns his promotion to lieutenant and his next assignment as liaison officer to the Denarii mercenaries should be play right into his strengths.

Another highly enjoyable entry in the Vorkosigan Saga. I felt this book relied less on the character development of Miles and more on establishing his relationship with some of the other main characters. I really liked the scenes with Miles and Gregor and thought the author was well able to portray the affection and respect that these childhood friends hold for one another. The recurring characters in these books are becoming well-known to me and I appreciate the care the author takes to keep them consistent and fresh. I look forward to continuing on with the Saga.

Judy, sorry to hear about your eyes and hopefully the condition doesn't get worse, but better. Take care and get lots of rest in the meantime.

>78 jolerie: Thanks Valerie. I am sure hoping this goes away quickly!

70. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain - 5.0 ★
Category: Fourteen Cats
May MysteryCat: Classic Crime
May Mystery & Mayhem
TIOLI #18: Book Has a Connection to the Number 5



Considered one of the most important crime novels of the 20th century, The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain is a masterpiece of noir. This story had such shock value that it was banned upon publication in some areas of the United States and Canada. And although the title is very well known it has a mystique of it’s own as there are no postmen or doorbells in the book. Apparently Cain heard a screenwriter talk about how gut-wrenchingly anxious he was while waiting for the mail to bring him news on whether or not a script had been accepted. Cain thought this phrase captured the feeling of desperation that he wanted the book to portray.

Although slightly over 100 pages in length, this is a story that is intense and gripping. The inescapable fate of three people caught up in lust, greed and violence is told with such veracity that the author doesn’t need to embellish or extend his story. The reader is drawn into many emotions, including feeling somewhat sympathetic toward Frank and Cora, but underneath it all you know they have been corrupted by their desire and their willingness to take short-cuts to get what they want.

This classic piece of noir more than stands the test of time. Both Cain’s superb writing and the originality of the story ensures this tale of twisted love will continue to enthrall it’s readers. Definitely a 5 star read for me.

I need to note that I received The Postman Always Rings Twice from my Secret Santa on the 75 Christmas Swap this year. So a big thank you to Piyush for such a great choice.

Judy, I'm sorry your eyes have been giving you trouble, and hope it all clears up really soon.

I watched both movie versions of The Postman Always Rings Twice in my teens when I was in a big Film Noir phase, but have yet to read the book. I'll add you to the list of recommenders!

Thumbs up on that great review of The Postman Always Rings Twice. I remember the movie from years ago, but never read the book.

Hope the drops do the trick for your eye!

Boo for the eye troubles, Judy. I hope the drops get it all cleared up quickly. That would be awful to be unable to be out in bright light without getting sick, with summer coming along any day now!

I also really liked The Postman Always Rings Twice. Your review is a great one.

>82 countrylife: Cindy, my brother, who is a lover of old movies, already has added The Postman Always Rings Twice to the queue for when I get over there on a visit. I am talking about the 1946 film with John Garfield and Lana Turner. I can easily picture John Garfield in the role of Frank but have more trouble with Lana Turner as Cora. There was also a remake made in 1981 with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange that I would be interested in tracking down.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone. I had a lovely morning. Received a couple of interesting books from the grandkids - Sea Witch and Pirate Code which they were pleased to have picked out themselves. My elder daughter filled my hanging basket that my grandson made for me last year. Younger daughter took my husband and I out for lunch earlier in the week. Going to spend the day doing pretty much nothing but reading.

With my own strange sense of timing, I have just finished a very dark look at motherhood with We Need To Talk About Kevin. What a book! (review follows)

71. We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - 5.0 ★
14 in 14 Category: Clayton's Choice
May RandomCat: Motherhood
May Murder & Mayhem
TIOLI #1: A Tree is Mentioned on Any Page With Double Numbers



We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver relates the story of a family whose boy, Kevin, goes on a killing rampage at his high school. This is a book that shook me to the core, I had to read it in short bursts as I needed to take breaks to get away from the darkness. Written beautifully but the subject matter is distressing, shocking and ugly. Told by the mother, Eva, the story of her family unfolds in epistolary form, through letters that Eva writes to her husband, Franklin.

Eva and Franklin are very different from one another but they are deeply in love and the decision to have a child is not one that was taken lightly. Eva never really wanted children but decided to go ahead with it as she knew how much her husband desired parenthood. From the moment she gives birth to Kevin, her life becomes more of a horror story. Unable to bond with or love her child, Eva immediately sees Kevin as an adversary. He is shown to be a sly monster, and as he grows he is only too willing to display his evil nature to his mother. His father on the other hand does not see this side of Kevin and feels that Eva is a disinterested, cold mother. As we work our way through the book the story builds in intensity as Kevin matures and that destructive day in April approaches.

I believe that ultimately We Need To Talk About Kevin raises far more questions than it actually answers. As I read about the imploding of this family I couldn’t help but ask myself whether Eva was a reliable narrator. Can someone be born inherently evil? Can a mother’s coldness build a monster? Do parents get the children they deserve? Was this the truth as Eva saw it or is this her own anguish and guilt that she is writing about. Eva puts herself on trial and the reader must form his own judgement.

Currently Reading



The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott
The Collection Stories of Eudora Welty by Eudora Welty

>86 DeltaQueen50: Nice review.

Hope your eyes are feeling better; but I see that they're not slowing down your reading!

Great review of We Need to Talk about Kevin, Judy. It totally is a book that raises more questions than it answers and the ending is just so......I don't even have words for it. Wishing you a cheerier Mother's Day. :)

Happy Mother's Day, Judy! Excellent review of We Need To Talk About Kevin. However dark and twisted it is, it is a mother's story.

I really enjoyed The Blade Itself. I think I read the 2nd book but never did complete the trilogy. Glad you are starting the Welty collection.

Wow. AWESOME review of We Need to Talk About Kevin!

>86 DeltaQueen50: - Excellent review of We Need to Talk About Kevin, Judy! I will get around to reading that one at some point but I am going to use my Scottish Noir category this year to try and toughen me up a bit before I think about tackling the Shriver novel.

Interesting - we've both read 71 books this year and We Need to Talk About Kevin was # 71 for each of us!

I also felt it was well-written and had to read it I small chunks. The overall horror and the unanswered questions were too much for me. I do believe that a mother who never bonds with her child is in for a life of misery.

Hi, Judy! Happy Mother's Day! Glad yours was wonderful!

I just started the audio of We Need to Talk About Kevin and must say I already, after only about an hour's listening, I dislike Eva intensely. I will persevere, but her character is so unlikable, so full of herself, I'm not sure I will be able to stand it.

Closing in on 75 already I see. Trust that you had a wonderful Mother's Day dear Guru. xx

I'm glad you are doing better on reading than I am. For the past two or three years, I've been at 75 on or before mid-May. I'll be lucky to be there by the end of summer this time.

Hi Judy - Happy Mother's Day to you, belated. I hope the eye problems are getting better. Great review of We Need to Talk About Kevin. I want to read it one of these days -- just have to prepare myself...

>88 humouress: Hi Nina, my eyes mostly bother me when I am not wearing glasses and since I wear glasses to read I am ok for that. Thank heavens!

>89 jolerie: We Need to Talk About Kevin is certainly a book that makes you think. Personally I like books that do that, I love the fact that there were different ways to interpret this book.

>90 msf59: Hi Mark. I love epic fantasy and Joe Abercrombie is one of the best at it. I have the First Law trilogy sitting on my shelves so I will eventually read all three. I am about 6 stories into the Eudora Welty Collection and I am beginning to think this is not an author for me. I can see that she can write, but so far these stories are not interesting me much. I will continue on for a few more and then decide whether to continue or not.

>91 countrylife: Thanks, Cindy. It's difficult book to write about in glowing terms due to the subject matter, but I really think the author did a steller job with this material.

>92 lkernagh: Lori, just the words Scottish Noir make me want to run to my shelves and pull down a Stuart MacBride or a Denise Mina. I love noir of all types!

>93 LoisB: Lois, I thought how the author developed the story, with the mother never even liking Kevin must less loving him was an interesting concept. It left the reader wondering how much truth she was actually giving us. I would say she was someone who should never have had children, but I don't think she was entirely to blame for Kevin, I suspect he was a born psychopath. Looks we will be both be hitting our 75 mark around the same time.

>94 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. I can't say that I liked Eva, but at least she didn't bore me, I found her narrative fascinating. Actually, I may have had less use for the father in the long run. He was never there for Eva, he obviously must have had an inkling of what Kevin was like and chose to ignore all the warning signals. The author has said that her readers tend to fall into two groups: those who buy into the idea of a "bad seed" and feel that Eva can pervceive the evil but it helpless against it, and, those who hate Eva, and consider her coldness as a mother practically a criminial offense and feel she is to blame for much of what went wrong. I guess in the long run I fell into the first group.

>95 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, yes, I hope to hit 75 this week, but I have been slowed down at bit with my current reads, both thick, and in the case of The Day of the Scorpion a read that one needs to take their time with.

>96 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I know you have been busy in RL and have been away on a couple of trips which accounts for slowing down in the reading department. I am sure that once you are settled back in at home, you will be reading up a storm!

>97 BLBera: Beth, I am going to go back to the eye doctor next week and try to find out exactly what is going on, if it's just a matter of time and this will settle down or if the lens is placed incorrectly and if so, what happens next. Since this is the first eye that was done, it's had over 7 weeks to settle, so I am afraid it may well be an incorrectly placed lens. I need to find out if they can fix this!

>99 DeltaQueen50: It will pick up, but I'm not sure it will ever get back to the old rate of reading. In fact, I can almost guarantee it won't.

>94 Storeetllr: >98 DeltaQueen50: I don't know, Judy. I may have a foot in each camp. I do think, though, that Eva's unmotherly behavior contributed to Kevin's sociopathy and, had she been less selfish and gotten therapy to deal with her obvious post-partum depression, he might have still turned out the way he did but might not have acted out in the same extreme fashion. (I say this as a mother who had to have therapy to help me bond with my baby due to certain prior traumatic experiences.) I do agree about the father, though. What a jerk he turned out to be!

And you are also right about the book making one think. I still haven't settled with a new novel after finishing the book yesterday morning because I can't stop thinking about Kevin.

>101 Storeetllr: Mary, it's the same for me. I am reading two really good books right now, but my thoughts are still with Kevin. I guess that means the author did her job.

I have decided to put Eudora Welty back on the shelf for now. Her stories weren't really catching my attention and so I decided to save her for another time.

And, cool! Your review of Kevin is on the Hot Reviews today!

>103 countrylife: That is cool, and thanks for letting me know, Cindy. :)

72. The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott - 4.0 ★
14 in 14 Category: 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
Group Read of the Raj Quartet
May GeoCat: South Asia - Focus on India
TIOLI #12: Would Fit a Previous May Challenge



The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott is the second volume in the Raj Quartet. This book builds upon the incidents that occurred in the first book as we now explore the implications and consequences. This is a intricate, interwoven novel, but with a more straight forward plotting style than the previous book. The author excels in his wide portrayal of characters from each social and political level, from British to Indian, from man to woman, from Christian to Hindu and Muslim. We catch up with many familiar characters from the first book, but also new characters are introduced as well.

Set during the years of 1942 to 1944 in a India where the British are not blind to the fact that they are no longer welcome and the struggle to keep their traditions and political system in place requires constant effort. Yet this is a strategically important country for Britain to control and not just because of the war against Japan.

There is a lot going on in this book and many characters to follow. If it could be said to have a main character, than that character would be Sarah Layton, one of the daughters of an old military family of the Raj. At one point or another throughout the book, Sarah come into contact with just about every character and through their meetings and individual back stories we see the larger picture of an India facing oppression, racism and political harnessing, the results of which were to eventually lead to the downfall of British control in India.

HI Judy

I am very impressed with the number of books you've read thus far. Alas, I'm at an all-time low. I simply am in a reading funk....I'm currently reading four books and struggling to finish one.

Hopefully I'll have more energy soon.

All the best to you!

>106 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. With all that is going on right now in your life I am not surprised that you are in a bit of a reading funk. Hopefully, things will soon start to improve and have you feeling better and more able to relax into a good book.

73. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan - 4.1 ★
14 in 14 Category: Final Fourteen
May RandomCat: Motherhood
YA Book Bingo: A Classic YA Book
TIOLI #12: Would Fit Into A Previous May Challenge



This classic Newberry winner is a delightful story and one that reminds us that the key ingredient in any family is that of love. A widower issues an advertisement for a woman to come to their prairie farm, live in isolation and help raise his two children and become his wife. Sarah, Plain and Tall, arrives to stay for a month and see how things go. The children, the father and even the animals on the farm come to love Sarah and all are a little afraid that she won’t stay as she misses her home in Maine and most of all the sea. When Sarah does go off to town for a day on her own, the children are very fearful that she will not return.

The author, Patricia MacLachlan is able to breathe life into this small story that addresses both a child's fear of abandonment and their need to be nurtured and loved. Sarah may be plain and tall, but she is able to find love and acceptance for herself and gives this family the wife and mother that they need.

Wow, Judy, you're almost to 75 books already, and we're not even through May yet! Sorry to read of your eye troubles. But, my, you've done some stellar reading lately! Two five-star books in a row, both of them ones I'm interested in, and some four-stars, too. Great reviews!

>109 tymfos: Hi Terri, I have been on a streak of excellent reading. Strange, I often find the really good books seem to run together. And (touch wood) my eyes do seem to be settling down a bit which is very encouraging. I hope to read 150 plus books this year, and I am on track to reach this goal.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Judy and hopefully your eyes continue to get better and better! :)

>111 jolerie: Thanks Valerie. Wishing you the same. :)

74. Lily Nevada by Cecelia Holland - 2.7 ★
14 in 14 Category: Fourteen Hands
TIOLI #15: Title Contains A "Y"



Lily Nevada by Cecelia Holland is the sequel to Railroad Schemes and continues the story of Lily Viner. Five years have passed since the day on the beach that Lily lost King Callahan to a bullet from Frank Brand. Now, at twenty, she has become an actress and taken the name Lily Nevada. Her troupe has come to San Francisco in order to advance themselves and play for a better class of audience than the ones they have been playing to in the mining camps.

I was disappointed with this sequel. Lily, who as a young girl was headstrong and vibrant, has grown into a selfish and overbearing woman. Frank Brand was reduced to much lesser role, and the plot seemed weak and muddled. Once again Lily has taken up with a bad man, and it is up to Frank to save her. I was at least hoping that Lily and Frank would finally face up to the fact that they were meant to be together, but again Lily makes some wrong choices.

I enjoyed the first book very much and was looking forward to continuing with Lily’s adventures, but overall this book would have been better left on the shelf as there was really no closure to the story which has left me feeling quite disgruntled.

>80 DeltaQueen50: Glad to be of service :) It was an instant hit for me too, when I read it last year.

>105 DeltaQueen50: I very much plan to read The Day of the Scorpion in June, good to see you liked the second installment as well.

>113 DeltaQueen50: Interesting to see what will be #75. Have a lovely weekend dear Guru.

I'm curious to see what your 75th will be too Judy! I don't usually read reviews of books I'm currently reading or intend to soon, but I trusted you wouldn't post spoilers on The Day of the Scorpion and I find your comments actually encourage me to continuing forging ahead (I'm reading it very slowly as have other books that have enthralled me lately, namely the Matthew Shardlakes), especially since Sarah is my favourite character so far.

I'm glad to hear the eyes are settling down, Judy, and congrats on the good book run, even if the last wasn't up to par. I'm also going to be watching to see what #75 is--I'm so far behind you right now.

Oh, dear, I should have had better planning and presented a much better book that I am going to for my 75th. I am reading an excellent epic fantasy and should have used that for my 75th. Instead I am using a book that was both very short and just an ok read.

We are having a long weekend in Canada and yesterday I spent some time just sitting outside on the patio and reading. Amelia's Navigator was the perfect book to while away an hour. Today we met with some out-of-town relatives for a leisurely brunch followed up by a visit to the nursery. Hubby is outside now doing some planting and probably wondering where I disappeared to. I am shortly going to grab my epic fantasy and head outside both to oversee his planting and to finish my book.

>114 PiyushC: Hi Piyush, I'll be looking forward to reading your comments about The Day of the Scorpion.

>115 PaulCranswick: I'm having a lovely weekend, Paul. I hope you enjoyed yours as well.

>116 Smiler69: Hi Ilana, there are so many storylines in these books that it would impossible to just write about one or two in the review, so I try to just give a vague overview. I've found both books slow reads, but so far I am enjoying the Raj Quartet and learning a lot as well.

#117 Hi Roni, I am feeling a little more positive about the eyes. I've also run into lots of people who had similar issues and some said it took as long as four or five months for the eyes to settle. I will feel a lot more relieved if I can be assured that they will settle eventually.

75. Amelia's Navigator by James Knepton - 3.0 ★
Category: 14 Days Paid Vacation - Kiribati
British Commonwealth Tour - Kiribati
TIOLI #3: The Title Refers to Somebody's Something



Amelia’s Navigator by James Knepton explores the author’s theory that Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Frank Noonan, made a miraculous landing on a coral reef and ended up on a remote and uninhabited island, part of the Kiribati chain of islands in the South Pacific.

Kiribati, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, is a nation of islands dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres. The last known reported whereabouts of Amelia Earhart’s’ plane was approximately 200 miles from Howland Island, their designated destination for fuel. In this story, running low on fuel and unable to raise a signal on their radio or find Howland Island, they make the decision to turn south and flying on one engine try to reach one of the many islands that are in that area. They do so, but are still unable to raise anyone on the radio. The story now turns to survival, as the island they are on has no water. With the clock ticking down, Amelia and her navigator face an uncertain end when no rescue comes.

A quick interesting take on a story that has stayed alive in the public imagination since 1937. And while much of this author’s theory is plausible, personally, I think if these two had found land, some evidence would have been turned up by now. It is far more likely that missing their designated landing, they ran out of fuel and ended up in the Pacific Ocean. An ok read but certainly not memorable in any way.

Hey Judy, your review of We Need to Talk About Kevin is spot on! I read it many years ago and I recall the subject of nature vs nurture coming up in the book group I was in at the time. Could Kevin have been so astute as to see or sense something in his mother were he could play her ineffectiveness to his wishes/needs? or like you mentioned, was his mothers coolness toward him creating a hardened little boy with no compassion for others? See, after all these years I could talk about this novel as if I read it last week. I've heard her subsequent novels haven't been as good but I'd still like to read them, how about you?

75! Congrats!

>119 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, it is the unexplained mystery that seems to captivate the imagination long after the fact - like the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, the identity of Jack the Ripper, was Tom Thomson murdered or was it an accident? Of course, it always helps that writers can use the story to come up with their own theories.

Congrats on 75 read! Like you, I have been enjoying the weekend weather we are having.

Congrats on beating me to 75! I just spent 3 1/2 days playing bridge so I'm a little behind.

One of my students was reading a book about Amelia Earhart. She could not understand how no one really knows what happened. I tried to explain that we didn't have technology like now, etc., etc. but the idea that we just don't know, so many years later, was really hard for her.

Hi Judy- I hope you had a nice weekend. I read Sarah, Plain and Tall last year and really enjoyed it. I should read the others.

Woo hoo! Congratulations on reaching the 75 book mark!!!

Congrats on the 75!!!

Sorry to have been AWOL -- I've been reading, and working, and dealing with family and life stuff, so not "traveling" around other threads as much...

Which means I've missed out on some great reviews here!

I completely agreed with you on Painted Girls; it felt far too much like "show and tell" for me to really engage with the narrative. Read it; forgot it. Meh.

But you have inspired me to pick up book #2 of the Raj Quartet, which I nabbed at the library at the beginning of May. I should launch into that before I lose momentum.

I've been avoiding We Need to Talk About Kevin, and now I remember why....

Congrats on your 75!

Judy, congratulations on reaching 75!

Sorry to hear about your eye, although it sounds as though it is settling down, which must be a relief. What a shame that the eye people didn't warn you that you could have this issue (particularly as you've met so many other people who've experienced it). Things are a lot less worrying when you know they're common and will settle down in the end.

Yay for 75!

Today is the last day of our 3-day weekend and as far as I know we have no plans at all except for my grandson coming for dinner later. so a day of rest and relaxation and, of course, reading.

>120 Carmenere: Lyndia, that Kevin book sure does stick with you, doesn't it. I am still thinking about it. This was my first book by Lionel Shriver but I certainly would like to try another. Love it or hate it, she did a fantastic job with We Need to Talk About Kevin and it would be interesting to see what she can do with a different subject matter.

>121 drneutron: Thanks so much, Jim.

>122 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, yes, we all seem to be intrigued by the unexplained. From Lord Lucan to Amelia Earhart. I guess the recent disappearance of a such a large plane as the Malaysian Flight 370 was can certainly clarify how the smaller, two person craft that Earhart and Noonan were in could so completely disappear.

>123 lkernagh: Lori, today the weather has turned a little cooler and we have quite a cloudy sky, but perhaps it will warm and clear later. I would love to spend some time out on the patio again today, but whether I get to sit outside or not, I will definitely be doing some reading!

>124 LoisB: Thanks, Lois. Gosh, I haven't played bridge in years. I have a group of girlfriends that get together for cards but we seem to have settled on Canasta as our game of choice.

> 125 Jennifer, I know I have always wondered why they have never found any evidence of the Earhart plane, but as we have all recently learned, even with todays technology, even large planes can disappear.

>126 msf59: I remember when you read Sarah last year, Mark. I think you inspired me to get the book, although I did see the TV movie years ago that starred Glenn Close and Christopher Walken and loved it. I, too, now need to read the rest of the books she wrote about this family.

>127 ronincats: Thanks, Roni!

>128 Chatterbox: Hi Suzanne, I have been following along on your thread so I know you have been busy and travelling. With the warmer weather there seems to be more to lure us away from our computers. I am really enjoying my read of the Raj Quartet. I find they are not books one can rush through, what with keeping track of so many different characters and storylines, but I also find them deeply satisfying. As for Kevin, although it's an extremely difficult read in many ways and not a book I would recommend easily, it is also probably going to end up on my list of best books for the year, it is simply so well done and so memorable.

>129 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian. :)

>130 susanj67: Thanks, Susan. It's strange that I hadn't heard about these kind of problems before, but now it seems that every person I talk to knows of someone who had problems very similar to mine. The best thing is hearing that these do appear to disappear eventually.

>131 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.

The one good thing about having a cloudy, cooler day is that it gives me more of an inclination to stay on LT and do some visiting around. So now I am off to see what's going on and what everyone is reading.

76. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie - 4.5 ★
14 in 14 Category: 13/14th Floor
TIOLI #2: Title Contains At Least Two Embedded Words



The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie is the first book in a epic fantasy trilogy, and it certainly managed to sweep me away. I was totally involved with this saga and I am looking forward to continuing on with the series. Chock full of interesting characters, this first volume was mostly about meeting the characters, getting a little background on them, getting them together and setting up the story for the on-going adventure.

I first met this author through one of his other books, Best Served Cold, and was totally captivated by his storytelling. The Blade Itself is set in the same world and is a page-turner of action, violence, magic and intrigue. The author relies on dark humor, and gritty action scenes to move the story forward. Nor for the faint-of-heart as both scenes of torture and blood-thirsty battles are frequent but overall the story is complex and the characters are well drawn. A couple of favorites are the barbarian Northman, Logen Ninefinger, called The Bloody Nine, a battle-weary veteran, and the very crippled Inquisitor Glokta, who specializes in “questioning” suspects and getting confessions, but knows what it’s like to be on the other end of torture himself.

This is the first book of the First Law trilogy and as such does have the feel of “setting the stage”, but I really appreciated that the author simply tells his story and world details of culture, history, and geography are revealed through the plot. I would add however, that a map would have helped me to visualize this world. While the book does not end with a huge cliff-hanger, which I appreciated, it is nevertheless just the beginning and leaves me eager to continue on with adventure.

Currently Reading



Truth, Dare, Kill by Gordon Ferris
The Deserter by Paul Almond

Congrats on your first 75 Judy, now onto the second batch! :-)

Congrats on your 75th, Judy. It doesn't seem like there is too much wrong with your eyes. :) I hope they are OK now.

Past 75 already? And with two eye surgeries too? Well done! I hope your eye clears up on its own with no need for another procedure. Sending lots of good wishes your way.

Wow, congrats on the 75!

Hi Judy, I'm late to check in and see how the procedure went. I'm glad to hear that it went well -- and that you were reading again so quickly! I had perfect (or better than perfect) vision until my mid-40s and I still hate that I need reading glasses. My distance vision is still "better than most people's" (question for the optometrist: then why are we correcting it??). It seems to me that there may be a surgery that could restore my excellent close vision, you know, so that I could read anything anywhere anytime I wanted..... Sigh.

You finished 75(plus!). Congratulations! I am feeling more confident that I'll get to 75 this year, but not much beyond that. Of course, if I tackle The Goldfinch and 2666, maybe not so much....

Have a great week, my friend!

All caught up! Yay for 75!

Glad the surgery went well and congrats on 75! You should celebrate the 75 by buying some 75ers swag!

Congrats on reaching 75, Judy! Here's to another 75 and beyond because you are that awesome. :)

Congratulations on reaching 75 books Judy! I have The Blade Itself on my TBR pile but have put off reading it because I don't want to start another series. Perhaps once I'm up to date with A Song of Ice and Fire.

Sorry to hear about the problem with your eye. I hope it clears up quickly.

Congrats on reaching 75 Judy!

The following is my thought of the day as I have spent most of the morning attending to some overdue cleaning.



I'm decided I needed a break from house cleaning so I am having a cup of coffee and a short LT visit.

>136 Smiler69: Thanks, Ilana. Today is a beautiful day here on the west coast and I am hoping to get some outdoor reading in this afternoon.

>137 BLBera: Hi Beth, my eyes do appear to be settling, only really a slight problem now when I am outside or in really bright lights.

>138 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie, yes, I am on my way to my goal of 150! So many people have told me about others who have had the same problem as I did with one eye. As it does seem to be clearing up on it's own, I am very hopeful that in a month or so I will be back to normal

>139 tymfos: Thanks Terri. :)

>140 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, one thing that is way better for me now is that I don't have to constantly switch glasses from distance to close-up. The distance glasses are a thing of the past. I still need to wear glasses for reading and when I am on the computer, but having to only worry abut keeping track of one type of glasses is much easier. The Goldfinch is patiently waiting on my Kindle, I need to set aside some time for that one.

>141 Thebookdiva: Thanks, Abby! Since my goal is 150 books for the year, it's good that I reached the halfway mark before June.

>142 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy. I need to go and check out that 75 swag.

>143 jolerie: Thanks so much, Valerie. Another reason I love LT is that only here do people congratulate you on the amount you read instead of looking at you like you are an alien!

>144 souloftherose: Hi Heather, I certainly understand about not wanting to start another series, but it seems I just can't help myself. Both books I am reading right now are the first of series. I need September Series and Sequels to come soon!

>145 susiesharp: Thanks, Susie!

>146 DeltaQueen50: Spring cleaning must be in the air. That is what I have been doing as well and I agree, I would rather be reading!

Congratulations on your first 75 books, Judy! I've picked up so many good recommendations from you that I feel as though I have a vested interest in your reading list. :-)

>148 Familyhistorian: I thought I better get to it before some really warm weather hits us and I don't feel like cleaning at all.

>149 rosalita: Thanks, Julia, and likewise I'm sure. I better head on over to your thread and see how booktopia went.

Congrats! Joe Abercrombie is an author I've been meaning to read. :) Thanks for the review.

>146 DeltaQueen50: Hope you've finished your cleaning and can now get back to the important things in life, like reading!

Hi Judy! "I'd Rather Be Reading" is our motto and perfect for a T-shirt. Hope the week is going well and your enjoying your current reads.

>151 Kassilem: Hi Melissa. Joe Abercrombie writes great epic fantasy, I am really going to enjoy reading the rest of the trilogy.

>152 Storeetllr: Mary, my plan is to give the house a really good cleaning so that I can do less through the next few summer months when it is too hot to want to to any cleaning at all. I will work on a couple of rooms at a time so will probably be cleaning well into next week. Of course, that doesn't mean I won't be sure to set aside some time for reading!

>153 msf59: You got that right, Mark. Speaking of mottos I ordered both a 75 mug and a 75 tote bag yesterday. Really looking forward to my morning coffee out of a mug that shows where my heart is!

77. Truth, Dare, Kill by Gordon Ferris - 3.3 ★
Category: British Fortnight
May Murder & Mayhem
TIOLI #12: Would fit Into a Previous May Challenge



Truth, Dare, Kill by Gordon Ferris is an interesting take on the noir genre. Set in 1946 London, the story moves along at a good pace and kept me involved and wanting to know the outcome. The main character, Danny McRae is a scarred war veteran who had been a SOE Agent during the war, one who had been captured, tortured and spent time in Dachau. Although he suffers from amnesia and recurring blackout spells, he is trying to establish himself as a P.I.

He is approached by a mysterious woman who tells him she may have killed someone and wants him to ascertain if this is indeed what happened. The dead man turns out to be Danny’s ex-commander and one who Danny would like to find to help him fill in some of his blanks. A short investigation reveals that this man is dead, but Danny decides to dig a little deeper as something seems a little off. Meanwhile there is a serial killer at work in the area, targeting prostitutes and suspicion falls on Danny. Danny himself wonders exactly what he is getting up to during his blackouts.

There was one element to the story that set my teeth a little on edge but as it was near the end of the book and there was a half-hearted attempt to explain it away, I decided to just let it slide. In the end this retro-mystery was a little weak but interesting enough that I will read the other Danny McRae story that the author appears to have written before he moved along to another series.

78. The Deserter by Paul Almond - 4.0 ★
Category: In 1492 Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue
Reading Through Time Quarterly: 18th Century North America
TIOLI #9: Book is a Trade Paperback



The Deserter by Paul Almond is the first volume in a family saga that is loosely based on his own family history. This first book introduces Thomas Manning, a young midshipman, who deserts from the British ship, the HMS Bellerophon, the man-o’war he is serving on. Even the overly severe punishment of 1,000 lashes if caught, cannot put off the lure of a life in this new world and he plunges into the icy waters of the Bay of Chaleur.

The books goes on to outline his first few years struggling to get a foothold in the rugged land of the Gaspé Peninsula. He manages to befriend the local Micmac Indians who teach him how to survive in this new land, and he finds a bride among these indigenous people. From running trap lines in the winter, to logging and boatbuilding for the French, he gradually is able to make some improvements to the land he has chosen and is looking forward to a better future.

I am definitely planning on continuing on with this saga which will cover many years of Canada’s history. The author tells both a very interesting and well-researched story and I enjoy the setting of the Gaspé Peninsula, a place I visited years ago but still remember quite clearly for it’s rugged beauty.

Currently Reading:



Room by Emma Donoghue
Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham

Oh....I'll be curious to see what your reaction to Room is. Heavy subject matter but captivating story! Those are some serious books you've been reading Judy. Probably need something silly to balance it all out afterwards. ;)

Hello Judy - glad to see that even with your eye troubles you still reached your 75 before half the year is done ****slinks off in shame at own pathetic total to date thanks to The Goldfinch taking FOREVER*****

p.s. as always some terrific reviews!

Hi Judy - Yes, to echo Paul, your reading is pretty impressive -- especially considering your eye surgery. The Deserter sounds interesting. I'll be interested to hear what you think of Room, too.

I briefly considered starting on Room yesterday when came time to choose a new audiobook, but I chickened out again. I'll try to fit it in this month all the same, if only for the sake of that TIOLI shared read...

I took myself off shopping yesterday, I needed some summer clothes and a new purse. I also picked up a couple of books to add the the couple I already had to give my Mom for her birthday. Of course, I couldn't come out of a bookstore without at least one for me so I've added The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh to my shelves.

Then this morning there were two packages of books on my doorstep, so another nine to add to the 133 books I have purchased this year. I'm running out of places to stash my 500 plus real books, but I think with some clever rearranging I can claim another shelf in the family room. That just may be my chore for today, shuffling my books around and getting them all on shelves.

>158 jolerie: Valerie, I started Room last night and ended up reading far into the night, it's a hard book to put down! I must have been thinking of light reading when I placed the order I received this morning, at least three of the books are re-worked fairy stories.

>159 PrueGallagher: Hi Prue, I have The Goldfinch on my Kindle, but haven't felt the urge to read it quite yet. At over 700 pages, I need to really be committed before I start.

>160 BLBera: Hi Beth, I am very lucky that the things that aren't quite right with my eyes don't affect my reading at all.

>161 Smiler69: So far, Room is proving to be a rather quick read. The story is well written and so far I've found it more interesting than icky.

>162 DeltaQueen50: You must have a very efficient recycling system if you only have 500 books and have added over 133 this year!

Hi Judy! I am glad you are enjoying Room. I was a fan too. I have her latest, Frog Music saved on audio. Have you read Alan Furst? A spy writer? I am reading and enjoying his latest!

And hooray for a 75 mug and tote bag!

>163 Familyhistorian: Meg, I do "recycle" pretty much all of my books to my family, and once they've done the rounds we gather them up and hit the second hand book stores. My mother, sister and brother are all voracious readers (like me) so we are constantly trading books back and forth.

>164 msf59: Mark, I am a fan of Alan Furst. I love how his books are so atmospheric and capture the feeling of late 1930's Europe on the brink of war. I am really liking Room, I find Emma Donoghue an interesting writer who really varies her subject matter.

I do worry a bit that Alan Furst is going to run out of stuff to write about! He concentrates SO narrowly in time and geographic area -- continental Europe (Paris to "mittelEuropa", 1930 to 1940 -- that by now I'm starting to become amazed that he still finds material... I was lucky to hear him talk to a small group at the NY Society Library about 12 years ago. And his new book is great...

Very astute observations on Alan Furst. I have read a couple and was tremendously impressed. How he manages to deliver so consistently without the feeling of reading mere variations on themes, I'm not at all sure, but I am glad he does.

Have a lovely weekend, Judy.

> 166 Suzanne, I agree with you about being worried that Alan Furst may run out of material, but he certainly has done well so far. His books make me feel like I am watching a 1940's black and white film. In fact, just thinking about him makes me realize it's been some time since I have read one of his and I must be due to pick up a book of his soon!

>167 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. It's been a busy weekend so far, but today is shaping up to be a quiet day. We are planning on steak and mushrooms on the BBQ tonight with a glass of red wine and a loaf of French bread, and hopefully, some reading time this afternoon. Life is good.

Have either of you watched the miniseries of Spies of Warsaw? I loved it; gripping!!!

I haven't seen that yet, but I noticed it on Netflicks so I have put it in the lineup for future viewing.

Over at the Category Challenge next month there is going to be a couple of group reads that may be of interest. The first is a Georgette Heyer Group Read and the second is a month of Women of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Please feel free to drop by to say hello and/or participate.

>163 Familyhistorian:, >165 DeltaQueen50: Last night, I happened to mention that I'm not sure I'm going to be able to find places for all my physical books, even though the new place is twice as big as anywhere I've lived in the past 25 years, and my niece said I could start giving her boxes of the books I've already read and don't intend to reread, and I suddenly couldn't breath. LOL She laughed and said she would promise to give them back to me if that would make it easier, and then I could breath again. I'm such a hoarder, but really only of books and family heirlooms.

>171 DeltaQueen50: Ooooh! Both groups sound interesting, Judy! In fact, I can't seem to get into any of the books I'm reading right now, and I have been thinking I'd forget about March Murder & Mayhem to read the Georgette Heyer I've got on the Kindle and been saving for an emergency (like this).

Hope you're having a lovely Sunday!

Starring both those groups, Judy! I am coming to love Heyer the more I read (I've only read three so far), and today I am starting my first-ever Ursula LeGuin, who is most definitely a fantasy/sci-fi woman. Good choices!

>I just downloaded a Kindle single entitled I Murdered My Library; pretty much about the same idea of deaccessioning books...

Hi Judy. Alan Furst is definitely on the radar. I've only read the one Georgette Heyer so far, but I really enjoyed it so there will be more. I've got Frederica on the tbl, so that will probably be next, though I've suggested a few titles for the library's OverDrive collection and they are willing to try to obtain them.

Sounds like you have a lovely day planned, did you manage to read all you wanted?

>172 Storeetllr: Mary, I am obsessed with books, but I am quite happy to only have unread books on my shelves. Once they are read they are out of the house and on to a new home. I guess my hoarding comes into my gloating over my virtual library listed here on LT. I tend to use Georgette Heyer as comfort reads as well and I have a couple lined up for next month.

>173 rosalita: I am really looking forward to next month, Julia. Between Heyer and the Women of Fantasy/Sci-Fi most of my reads are going to be light and fun. I am also reading my first Ursula Le Guin next month, The Wizard of Earthsea which Heather (SoulofthRose) placed on my wishlist recently.

>174 Chatterbox: I am probably in the minority around here, being happy to send books out of my house. That sounds like it could be a fun read that many can identify with.

>175 Smiler69: Ilana, I think you would really enjoy Alan Furst, I know you like the John Russell series by David Downing and I think Furst does that time period even better!

My granddaughter came by for a couple of hours so I didn't get quite as much reading time as I had hoped, but I did finish Mystery Mile and she and I decided to read Ella Enchanted together so we got a start on that.

I don't know if you are going to start Room anytime soon, but I can now tell you that I would definitely recommend it. The voice of the narrator, five year old Jack, is quite incredible and I am finding this a fascinating read.

79. Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham - 4.1 ★
Category: Agatha & Friends
May MysteryCat: Classic Mysteries
May Murder & Mayhem
TIOLI #10: Book is Divided into Named Chapters



Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham has all the essential ingredients of a classic British mystery including a quaint village, a vicarage, afternoon tea parties on the lawn at the manor and, of course, a Victorian maze to complete the picture. Then when action is required there is an expedition across the rooftops of London and an adventurous escape over seaside marshes slipping ahead of dangerous tides and trying to avoid quicksand. The main character, Albert Campion, is one of the most intriguing lead characters that I have run across. A gentleman who is exceeding comfortable with any level of society. Exactly what he does is uncertain, but he is always the man of the hour knowing the right thing to do, guarding the innocent and hunting down the guilty.

In this story an American judge needs to go into hiding to escape the murderous plans of a mob, called the Sinister Gang. The judge has some inside information on who the leader is and needs time to put the pieces together. The gang of course wants the Judge silenced. Even crossing the Atlantic Ocean is no guarantee that he is safe. Scotland Yard recommends Albert and he in turn sequesters the Judge and his family at the manor house of his friends in the remote village of Mystery Mile.

Things immediately start to go wrong and when both the judge and a young woman go missing, Albert Campion finds himself involved in a very nasty and dangerous case. I have now read three Albert Campion books and count myself a fan. Margery Allingham writes with wit and humor and although somewhat dated, this who-dunnit was a fun read.

Judy, thanks for the referrals to the June threads--you know me well, I'll be participating in both of them!

Judy, the Paul Almond books sound good. I'll keep an eye on the library ebooks as they aren't in my library system in hard copy. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series.

I have decided to pack up and go visit my Mom for awhile and I am hoping to leave on Thursday. Between rushing around and doing laundry and running errands, I took some time to finish Room (review follows) this morning.

>178 ronincats: Roni, since you had a big hand in introducing me to both Georgette Heyer and Fantasy/Sci-Fi, I knew these group reads would be perfect for you.

>179 susanj67: Hi Susan, I hope you are able to track down this series. I am looking forward to reading more about my own country's history, something I have overlooked in the past.

80. Room by Emma Donoghue - 5.0 ★
Category: Final Fourteen
May RandomCat: Motherhood
TIOLI #6: Title Appears Handwritten



Seeing life through the eyes of a five year old boy is fascinating, but when that little boy has been contained in a single room his whole life with only his mother for company, well, that perspective is singularly unique, disconcerting, at times terrifying and at others darkly humorous. Room by Emma Donoghue is her controversial story of a young woman taken by a stranger and held for seven years. During the course of her captivity she gives birth and she and her son have a isolated existence in a locked garden shed. The book’s focus is on the boy, Jack. Jack knows no other way of living, he doesn’t know much beyond the walls of the room, except for what he has seen on TV. To him Dora the Explorer is as real as Old Nick, the man who visits in the night. His mother tries very hard to keep Jack away from Old Nick and has him sleep in a wardrobe so he is out of sight when Old Nick visits.

When these two finally escape and emerge into the real world, Jack must learn to cope with unlimited boundaries. Everyday things we take for granted need to be explained and learned, Jack needs constant guidance but his Mother is also dealing in her own way with freedom. These two who have been inseparable now find they have different ways of looking at things, and different levels of acceptance. While Jack remembers Room as a place of comfort, the very idea of that place upsets the Mother to the point of nausea.

I found Room is be a very unique read and it told such a compelling story of human resourcefulness and resilience that it was very hard to put down. I was very moved by Jack’s mother, who overcame such difficulties and showed such devotion and care in the raising of her son. This is a book that truly moved me, and one that I will long remember.

Currently Reading:



The Siege by Helen Dunmore

>176 DeltaQueen50: I am also reading my first Ursula Le Guin next month, The Wizard of Earthsea which Heather (SoulofthRose) placed on my wishlist recently.

Ha! She got me with that one, too. The library happened to have it available right away, so I've already started it. But I can see that I will want to continue the series so no worries on finding something to read next month.

Have a safe and lovely trip to visit your mom, Judy!

Oh, lovely! Another book bullet. I didn't think I'd be interested in reading Room, but that was before your review. (You really should post a sign at the beginning of your threads, Judy: "This Thread Can Be Dangerous To Your Book-Buying Budget!")

I gave Room 8 out of 10 stars, "Intense and fast read. It took me a chapter or two to get into the flow of the narrator's voice but then it zoomed along. I was most interested in how the little boy coped with coming out of the room. I sometimes found it difficult to sympathize with the mother, which I guess was the point of some of it."

>183 rosalita: - Hi Julia, I am really looking forward to The Wizard of Earthsea which is going to be an audio for me. Will probably not start it until after I get back from my Mom's toward the middle of the month.

>184 Storeetllr: - LOL, Mary. I guess I'm doing my job here if I can encourage people to read the books I love. And surprisingly, although I wasn't expecting to, I really did love Room. This makes getting Frog Music even more necessary.

>185 Morphidae: - Morphy, I kept thinking of how different the point of views of the son and the mother were. He felt safe and comfortable in the room, while she was living in constant fear for both their lives and being subjected to repeated abuse. That allowed me to have a lot of admiration and sympathy for her.

Hi, Judy! Just trying to get caught up here - I hope things are well with you!

>187 scaifea: Hi Amber, I am going great and getting ready to leave tomorrow to go and visit my Mom. I am looking forward to getting over to the island, it's been awhile.

81. The Siege by Helen Dunmore - 4.2 ★
14 in 14 Category: 14 Points for Reconstruction
TIOLI #17: A Book Set in An Aniversary War Other than WW I



The German siege over the winter of 1941 on Leningrad that resulted in the death of six hundred thousand people has been personalised and encapsulated by Helen Dunmore in her book, The Siege. Giving her readers an intimate look at the suffering, deprivation and starvation that the citizens of Leningrad endured by telling the smaller story of Anna and her family.

This family struggles to stay alive in their small apartment, mostly being held together by twenty-two year old Anna. Caring for her wounded father, taking in an old family friend and watching over her younger brother as he grows thinner every day, Anna forges for food and fuel under brutal conditions. Such a life could easily wipe the humanity from one, but this poignant, touching story also shows that love is a necessary ingredient to life, as Anna meets and develops a bond with a young doctor.

Truly a touching story that shows the cruelty and horror of war along with the passionate unyielding will to survive that makes Anna a heroine to remember. The Siege is a beautifully written story with vivid descriptions and the knowledge that this is all based on historical fact make the book all the more compelling.

Good review of The Siege, Judy! I think it was a 5 star read for me, but we are close. I thought the Betrayal was a bit of a letdown after this one but I still want to read more Dunmore. She seems to have a nice range.

Safe travels, Judy!

Dropping in to say hi, Judy! I'm riddled with book bullets this morning. So what's one more.....The Siege goes on the wishlist. Have a great day!

Have a great trip visiting your mom Judy!

Just finished loading the car, and I do mean load! I always seem to have so much stuff to take over when I go. Hoping to catch the 11 o'clock ferry so need to leave in the next 20 minutes. I will have only limited computer access over the next couple of weeks so will catch up with everyone when I get back.

>190 msf59: Mark, this was an excellent read and I probably would have rated it higher if I hadn't recently read a book on very much the same subject matter, The Bronze Horseman and so a lot of the story seemed very familiar to me. I definitely will read more of Helen Dunmore!

>191 scaifea: Thanks, Amber.

>192 Carmenere: The Siege is well worth hunting down, Lynda.

>193 jolerie: Thanks Valerie, I am looking forward to my visit, it's been awhile since I've seen my family.

Judy - It sounds like I should read Room soon. Nice review. I loved The Siege, too. Have a nice visit with your mom.

Hi Judy - dropping in to say hi and hope you have a great Friday and weekend.

I was just going to say that the Siege sounds similar to The Bronze Horseman and you confirmed it!

I have The Room to read (gifted to me) and it sounds like a great book to read... but then I wonder do I need to read a book about that? I'm afraid it's going to be too difficult emotionally to read. Is it entirely from the boy's perspective?

I hope you are having a great visit, Judy, and squeezing in a little reading to boot.

>86 DeltaQueen50:: Judy, I don't think anyone who has read the Kevin book ever forgets it. I loved the questions you raised at the end of your review. The book certainly gives a different slant on motherhood!

Btw, love the titles of the books your grandkids chose for you. Have you read them yet?

You have been reading some of my favorite books including Room and The Siege. I also liked The Day of the Scorpion very much. I need to check with the group again to see if there has been any more discussion.

CONGRATS on reading 75+ books. Enjoy your time visiting family.

Thanks to everyone who has dropped by, the weather is simply perfect and I am having a lovely time visiting my family.

>195 BLBera: Waves to Beth.

>196 kiwiflowa: Katie, Room is entirely from the boy's perspective and because the room is a place of safety to him, the book doesn't dwell on any horrible images. Of course, the reader can't shut off his own imagination so I guess it's a matter of personal choice. I loved this book and found the story fascinating.

>197 ronincats: Hi Roni, coming from a family of readers, there is always time to squeeze in a little reading. ;)

>198 Donna828: Hi Donna, I can certainly see that Kevin will be with me for a long time, and I found this book, rather than Room, to be the emotionally challenging read, although I am glad that I did read it. It's been quiet at the Day of the Scorpion thread, but I think many people are planning on reading it this month so it may pick up.

82. Voices by Arnaldur Indridason - 3.4 ★
14 in 14 Category: 14 Days Paid Vacation - Iceland
June GeoCat: Islands/Bodies of Water
June MysteryCat: Police Procedural
TIOLI #17: A "Don" Word is On Page 17



Voices by Arnaldur Indridason is the third entry in his Reykjavik Murder Mysteries and, personally I found this one a tad mediocre. The mystery was fairly straightforward, but the setting, being entirely in a large hotel during the Christmas period, seemed a waste of the interesting setting of Iceland that figured so prominently in the first two books and at times felt almost claustrophobic.

Just days before Christmas a doorman who occasionally also acted as a Santa was found in a basement room of a hotel, stabbed and in a compromising position. Erlendur and his team get busy investigating everyone in this large downtown Reykjavik hotel, believing the answer to the puzzle lies in uncovering the motive. Erlendur is his usual dour, plodding self who eventually checks himself into the hotel in order to both be close to the case as well as using it as a way of avoiding making any plans for Christmas. During their investigation, it is found that the victim was once a child singing prodigy who fell from fame and disappeared into anonymity. This book does give us more insight into the character of Erlendur as he spends a fair bit of time remembering his own childhood and the tragedy that has marred his life.

The author is working on peeling the layers from Erlendur as well as developing some very interesting backup characters in this series. Although this mystery didn’t envelope me as strongly as his previous ones, this is a series that I will continue to explore.

I'm another enthusiastic supporter of Room. I suspect it's as dark as your own imagination, but it's also a creative tour de force, and a reminder of the subjective nature of experience. In some ways, I found her latest novel, Frog Music, more depressing.

Re Helen Dunmore, one her lesser known books that I like is Zennor in Darkness.

Hi Judy! I'm glad you're having a good visit at your mother's. I hope the rest of your stay is just as nice.

Judy, glad to see that you arrived safely at your mom's and your reading continues. Is Voices part of the series that starts with Jar City. I have that one waiting for me to be read but haven't tackled it yet.

I too loved Room it was so different and good. I am on the waiting list for her new book Frog Music

Added The Siege to my wishlist, it sounds like a good one!

Hi Judy- I NEED to get back to the Inspector Erlendur series. Voices was also my last one but that was about 2 years ago. Keeping up with series fiction is really tough...Being a serious readers is not always sunshine and rainbows...okay, yes it is. LOL.

Hi, Judy. Hope you're having a wonderful visit! I just got back from a visit with my firstborn's family, where I got to meet my first grandbaby! Family visits always end too soon.

The Siege moved me when I read it a couple of years ago. Your review perfectly captured the story. Well deserved thumb there!

Your BB almost got me with The Blade Itself. Another great review, and if I was a fantasy reader, that'd be on Mt. Toobie.

Another flyby visit to post a review. If I don't post a review quickly, I probably wouldn't ever get around to it.

>201 Chatterbox: Suz, it will take some truly excellent books to knock Room off my 2014 Top Reads List at the end of the year! Of course, I am adding Zennor of Darkness to my list!

>202 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie, as always I am enjoying my time with my family, especially the extra pampering my Mom gives me.

>203 rosalita: Julia, indeed Jar City is the first book in the Erlendur series that is set in Iceland. So far of the three I have read, I found the second book to be the star, but all are good enough to warrant continuing with the series.

>204 susiesharp: Hi Susie, I am a Emma Donoghue fan as well and I am looking forward to Frog Music. I think you will love The Siege.

>205 msf59: LOL, Mark! Yes it's pretty dire when our biggest stress is which one of our many series we will read next. I guess we will both be looking forward to Series and Sequels September!

>206 countrylife: New grandbabies are the best! We have a new baby in our family and 3 month old Nikolai certainly makes his presence known. He's the star of every family gathering!

83. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - 4.1 ★
Category: The Atomic Number of Silicon
June's Women of Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Book Bingo: A Book Based on a Myth
TIOLI #12: Cover Shows Only a Part of the Body



The second volume of The Lunar Chronicles, Scarlet, picks up the action and the time-line right where the first volume left off. The action now jumps back and forth between Cinder and a new character, Scarlet and as the book unfolds the reader waits for these two to meet and eventually take the fight directly to the evil Queen, Levana.

Once again taking a classic fairy-tale, in this case Red Riding Hood, and giving it a fresh outlook, Marissa Meyer delivers a book that is both spellbinding and enthralling. By introducing new characters such as Wolf and Thorne while still keeping some old favorites like Kai and Iko, the author gives herself plenty of scope for story and romance.

While this second book did not carry the impact of the first, I am enjoying this fair-tale inspired series very much, finding it great escape reading, and look forward to continuing on with the saga.

Hi Judy, just thought I'd leave a sign of my passing by.

Great comment by Suz about Room being "a reminder of the subjective nature of experience", but I hesitate to share my feelings about it here, because I found it a very difficult and painful read, and yes, for entirely subjective reasons... I'll try to gather my thoughts about it in a short review soon.

Hi, Judy ~ Glad you're having a wonderful visit!

Just picked up Scarlet from the library yesterday and am looking forward to reading it for the month's Female Sci-Fi and Fantasy thread.

Hi Judy - I just read another by Jo Nesbo, but your review reminds me that I should try the Arnaldur Indridason books. It's hard, I think, that all books in series are equally good, so I'm willing to cut authors some slack -- for one mediocre one. After that, I'm tempted to stop reading them.

<209 Hi Ilana, I am sorry that Room stirred some painful memories for you. At the same time, I believe this speaks to the excellence of her writing. It's unfortunate, but not all books are meant for everyone and it's difficult to predict which ones will set off the inner alarms in advance.

>210 Storeetllr: Waves to Mary. I am having a lovely visit. Yesterday we went to the village of Sidney which is known for it's numerous bookstores, and I was able to easily pick up a number of books and will perhaps use them to count toward my upcoming Thingaversary.

>211 BLBera: I totally agree with you, Beth. One so-so book can be overlooked, but there are certainly enough series around that we do not need to stick with one that doesn't fully engage us.

84. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers - 4.1 ★
Category: Agatha & Friends
TIOLI #11: Read a Mystery/Thriller Set in the British Isles



Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers is a milestone in her Lord Peter Wimsey series as in this volume he meets Harriet Vane and declares her to be his future wife. The fact that she is currently on trial for murder holds no sway with Lord Peter as he is 100 percent convinced of her innocence. In fact, when the jury is unable to come to a verdict, he steps in and offers to aid her defense team so that she can be cleared of all charges.

Knowing Lord Peter from the previous books, the reader enters the story already knowing the outcome so the fun of this book is learning who the guilty party is, and how the deed was done. Enlisting the help of familiar characters like Bunter, Miss Climson and D.C. Parker, Lord Peter is able to put the pieces of this mystery together, and although the solution proved to be rather straight-forward, this story was still great fun and seeing Lord Peter struck with cupids’ arrow only added to my enjoyment of the book.

I am looking forward to continuing on with the series as I suspect the intelligent and independent Harriet Vane is going to be a great addition to the series and make an excellent foil for Lord Peter.

Judy, glad you are having such a good visit! And bookstores to boot! Scarlet is coming up on my shortlist eventually, as I did enjoy Cinder a lot.

>213 DeltaQueen50: I really ought to read more Sayers. I know I read some of her works ages ago, but I don't remember which ones so I'll pretty much start over unless it's already in LT.

>213 DeltaQueen50: Now you have me wondering if I have Strong Poison in my Sayers collection. I remember particularly liking that story. I will have to look through my shelves and maybe give it another read.

Hi Judy! Hope you had a good week. Glad you liked Scarlet. I hope to get to Cress, in the very near future. I was hoping to book horn it in for FF. That didn't work. LOL!

Lord Peter Wimsey is the archetypical cosy detective, don't you think?

Have a lovely weekend Judy.

I love Dorothy L. Sayers! I have the complete Lord Wimsey series, including two Folio boxed sets and some paperbacks to round off those titles FS didn't deem fit to publish (no idea why). In fact, took out Lord Peter Views the Body, which comes 4th in the series and is a collection of short stories from the shelf the other day, so hopefully will get started on it soon. Have you read that one?

My fave Lord Peter remains Gaudy Night, which is the epitome of the intelligent woman's romance novel, IMHO... In a kind of quirky way. Which reminds me that I have the latest in the series of follow-ons by Jill Paton Walsh. I'm willing to tolerate them because I like the author's own writing, and her first was done based on the notes left behind by Sayers. Still, it's not the same...

Gaudy Night and Nine Tailors wew my favorite LPW mysteries. I re-read both this year after a long break. I still loved the Nine Tailors, but Gaudy Night had lost something for me over the years. Perhaps, I'm just faded and jaded . . .

*lurk*

My last "quickie" visit before I head home tomorrow and start trying to catch up with everyone!

222 Hi Roni! I am hoping that Cress, the next book in the series is able to recapture the magic that the first book held for me. It is often the case that the second book is a bit of a let down and perhaps part of that is my own high expectations as well as the author working towards getting both her characters and the storyline together.

>215 thornton37814: Lori, I somehow missed Dorothy Sayers when I was younger so I am now enjoying reading the Lord Peter series in order. I love her characters and they are a huge part of my enjoyment of this series. Next up for me is, The Five Red Herrings I believe.

>216 Familyhistorian: Meg, Strong Poison was interesting not just for the introduction to Harriet Vane, but I found the whole British courtroom procedure fascinating.

#217 HI Mark, it can drive one quite crazy trying to fit all these books in, can't it. I have certain shelves in my house that I am ashamed to look at as I haven't been able to fit in certain series. Ken Bruen, Christopher Brookmyre, Peter James - just to mention a few.

#218 Hi Paul, I did have a lovely weekend. We are having just the perfect weather right now with warm sunny days that cool nicely in the evenings. We managed to get in a walk or two and last night my sister, who is a very good cook, made us an Indian dinner. And I got to cuddle my three month old grand-nephew as well.

>219 Smiler69: I read Lord Peter Views the Body last year and although I am not a huge fan of short stories, I did enjoy these. I found they gave a great insight into Lord Peter, and if I remember correctly, that's how I found out that he wears pink pj's and a mauve robe. There was also a story that involved his nephew which I liked.

>220 Chatterbox: Suz, I have heard that Gaudy Night is one of the best Dorothy Sayers and when I picked up The Nine Tailors the other day, the store clerk assured me that it was also one of the best in the series. (or do store clerks always try to assure the customer that they picked the best one!) Looks like I have some good reads ahead of me!

>221 LoisB: Aha! Another vote for Gaudy Night and The Nine Tailors!

85. Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer - 3.3 ★
Category: In 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
June Georgette Heyer Read
Reading Through Time Monthly: Elizabethan Period
TIOLI #8: Read A Romance Novel



While there were many things that held my interest in Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer, this Elizabethan tale of a swashbuckling pirate that falls in love with his lovely, young Spanish captive isn’t up to the level of her Regency stories. The difference for me was that I never felt the author’s tongue-in-cheek enjoyment that I do with her Regency romances and while the writing was sprinkled with many phrases that felt authentic, it didn’t flow with the same assurance and joie de vivre that makes her such a delight to read.

I quickly found myself picturing Errol Flynn and Maureen O’Hara in the lead roles and that certainly helped to bring this rather ho-hum adventure to life. As it was obvious from the start that Nick Beauvallet would eventually win the fiery Dona Dominica, I settled in to enjoy the sword-play and romance along with authentic glimpses of some well-known characters of the day such as Elizabeth I of England and Phillip II of Spain.

So while Beauvallet was far from a favorite offering from this author, it was still an enjoyable escapist read that I was able to comfortably curl up with. I have read that Georgette Heyer on a bad day is still better than many other authors and after reading Beauvallet, I agree.

Safe travels home, Judy! I am glad that I still have many more of Heyer's Regency romances to enjoy before I have to think about moving on to her other works.

" I have certain shelves in my house that I am ashamed to look at..." Amen, my friend. Amen!

Safe travels home, Judy!

Were you the one who recommended Thale's Folly to me? I didn't like the Mrs. Pollifax I read but Thale's was a treasure. I'm asking because it seems like you like mysteries and gentle reads.

Made it home early this afternoon and was thrilled to be greeted with a couple of mysterious boxes which, when opened proved to be the 75er Mug and Tote Bag that I ordered. I am very pleased with the look of both, especially the tote bag as not only does it remind me of the 75ers but it makes me smile and think of Mark every time I read the added phrase of "I need to bookhorn that in". How many times have we said that!

Speaking of bookhorning, I brought home a couple of bags of books to somehow add to my shelves. I am counting a couple as Book Bingo rewards and an additional 4 more toward my upcoming 6th Thingaversary. The list of new additions is:

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - Bingo Book
Red Hill by Jamie McGuire - Bingo Book
Soul Catcher by Michael White
The Mike Hammer Collection - Vol.1 by Mickey Spillane
The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie
The Clocks by Agatha Christie
The Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard by Arthur Conan Doyle
Cloudy in the West by Elmer Kelton
Dead Water by Ann Cleeves
Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout
Buried by Mark Billingham - 6th Thingaversary
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers - 6th Thingaversary
The Cartographer of No Man's Land by P.S. Duffy - 6th Thingaversary
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden - 6th Thingaversary

Tell the wolves I'm Home is excellent!

>225 rosalita: Hi Julia, I definitely believe she does a better job with her Regency Romances than other time periods. My next Georgette Heyer read this month will be The Nonesuch which is tagged as a Regency but seldom makes anyone's lists of favorites, so I guess I'll have to see how I like it.

>226 msf59: I have faith that we'll get there eventually, Mark!

>227 katiekrug: From Katie's lips - and, here I am safely at home!

>228 Morphidae: It wasn't me, Morphy, but now you have intrigued me with this book and I will have to look into it!

>230 LoisB: Good to hear, Lois. It's been on my wishlist for sometime so I jumped on it when I found a good copy in the second hand store.

Just to update everyone on what I am reading right now:



Sand Queen by Helen Benedict
The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson

Congrats on the book haul, Judy. Very nice. I have to order my 75 mug and tote bag. I don't know why I am procrastinating...

ETA- I did not realize we share 551 books!! Wow! That might be a record...for me anyway. Like minds...

>229 DeltaQueen50: Some Buried Caesar is one of my very favorite Nero Wolfe mysteries, Judy! So pleased you picked that one up. The Christie titles are not familiar to me at all, which goes to emphasize just how prolific Dame Agatha really was.

Glad you are safely home. While family is wonderful, so is being in your own space again after time away.

Good to hear that you made it home safely, Judy!

>231 DeltaQueen50: It's one of those books where when you finish you take a deep breath and say, "Oh, that was nice." Light, hopeful, happy ending, interesting characters, etc.

>234 msf59: 551 books in common, well I guess now you know that I definitely get a lot of recommendations from you!

>235 rosalita: Julia, I am very happy to hear that Some Buried Caeser is one of your favorites. I had a few to choose from and not being famliar with the titles, I chose that one simply because it had the earliest publication date.

>236 ronincats: I was more than ready to be home again, Roni. My Mom's pull out couch doesn't make for the more comfortable sleeping!

>237 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. Now I have the daunting task of trying to catch up here!

>238 Morphidae: That description definitely puts this book on my radar, especially as I like to alternate my more serious reads with lighter ones.

86. Sand Queen by Helen Benedict - 4.2 ★
Category: 14 Points For Reconstruction
June RandomCat: Rose - Amber Queen
TIOLI #9: A Book Whose Cover Doesn't Have a Person On It



Wanting to learn more about the war in Iraq, I picked up Sand Queen by Helen Benedict. The author based her story on interviews with woman combat soldiers and this paints a far deeper picture that what we were seeing every night on the newscast. I personally found this book grim, painful and eye-opening but at the same time, I also found it a fascinating and compelling story of life on the battlefield.

Thrusting her reader into the mindset of a 20 year old woman serving in the American army in Iraq was jarring, disconcerting and distressing. In one of the last bastions of male dominance, the woman combat soldier seems to be fair game for persecution, bullying and abuse. In conditions that were extremely difficult, this added stress made their lives quite unbearable. From the Arab repugnance to seeing women dressed as soldiers to the debasement they received from their male counterparts, they were in hell.

Bluntly painting a picture of this one small corner or the war, contrasting the stories of two women, one an American soldier who guards prisoners, the other an Iraqi non-combatant whose father and brother have been interred, Sand Queen, is honest in its portrayal of a war-torn country and the two races who have little to no understanding of each other.

This is a well-crafted, in-your-face story that is both shocking and bleak. No excuses are made for the army’s attitude of unrelenting harassment, this is just simply the way it was for most female soldiers. Ultimately, Sand Queen is very effective at showing how demoralizing and dehumanizing war is and as such, is another brick in my anti-war wall.

I had to trundle my computer off to the repair shop this morning as it had finally given up the ghost. I am waiting to hear if it can be salvaged or if I need to go computer shopping. I am on my husband's laptop right now, but I am sure he's going to kick me off soon.

Oh, that's too bad about your computer, Judy! I always feel bereft when my technology stops working. On the other hand, maybe you'll be able to get something new and snappy.

My computer geek says my computer can be repaired and cleaned up and I will have it back on Saturday. I guess less computer time will equal more reading time so I will probably have a few reviews to post by Saturday!

Ooh, good reading in the meantime, and glad the computer could be salvaged (although a new computer would have been nice too).

Both relieved your old computer can be fixed so you haven't lost anything and sad because you can't buy a shiny new one. My laptop is about 5 years old, and it's started to act a little weird and stuttery, but I'm holding out as long as I can before getting a new one, which is hard because I really really love new technology and I really really want a top-of-the-line model.

Roni and Mary: I think this is going to work out to my advantage as I get my computer fixed and don't lose anything, yet my husband thinks I should still start looking for a new one. So I get to shop around and see what's out there and then get myself a nice, new, shiny computer later on this summer!

Win-win!

87. The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson - 4.0 ★
14 in 14 Category: Fourteen Cats
June MysteryCat: Police Procedural
TIOLI #11: Read a British Mystery



The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson is the first in his series about D.I. Charlie Priest and I am ashamed to say it has sat on my shelves since before I joined LT. Set in Yorkshire this mystery starts with a report about a conspiracy to forge famous artworks, but when D.I. Priest comes to the realization that this case is linked to a particularly lethal type of heroin that is making itself known in his area, he finds himself hot on the trail of a local business man who appears to have his fingers in many pies.

Set in the fictional town of Heckley, Yorkshire, Priest and his crew like to complain that they spend most of their time investigating shop lifters and sheep stealers. I liked the fact that this case wasn’t solved in a matter of days, in fact from the beginning to the end, a time span of a couple of years had gone by with the case at times simmering on the back burner and at others being brought to the forefront.

Charlie Priest is an appealing character and we learn just enough about him in this first book to make me want to learn more. Overall a well written police procedural with a darkly humorous undertone that I look forward to continuing on with. Luckily I picked up the first three in the series at the time of purchase so I can enjoy the next one sooner rather than later.

88. Summer of the Drums by T.V. Olsen - 2.8 ★
Category: Fourteen Hands
June RandomCat: Rose - Summer Wine
TIOLI #5: Something Old, New, Borrowed or Blue



A rather humdrum offering, Summer of the Drums by T.V. Olsen is set in 1832 during the Black Hawk War. Telling the story of one pioneer family that becomes involved in the conflict, I found it to be a rather formulaic and predictable story. The father thinks that the Sauk Indians have been mistreated and driven from their lands by greedy whites and wants no part of the war. They are attacked anyway and lose their oldest son in the fight. The youngest son wounds a young brave and they take him into their home and nurse him back to health. He turns out to be Black Hawk’s grandson, and the two young men forge a life-long bond.

Along with the predictable storyline, the characters were not well drawn. The bad guys were almost cartoons in their villainy and the good guys were just too noble and upright to be believable. Summer of the Drums was a quick and easy read but really had nothing to add to my knowledge of the Black Hawk War.

Time for a new thread, please pack up your sunglasses and lemonaides and join me at my summer thread.