Luvamystery65/Roberta's 2013 Challenge part 4

Welcome to my fourth quarter thread. Autumn is my favorite season but it doesn't really exist here in Houston. I spent October 2011 in Italy and this is the view of Tuscany from our apartment in Siena. It is my dream to return to Siena and spend two weeks there just reading and strolling through the town and of course visiting the Tuscan countryside. The people were lovely and the food was delicious.



Not sure I'll use this picture Well to honor Mamzel's suggestion in post #7, I will leave the statue of the Amitabha Buddha here. It is very serene. It is one of the more beautiful depictions of the Buddha of Light I have seen. I took the picture at the Denver Art Museum. They had an extraordinary collection of Buddhist art on display two years ago. Their website had some interactive ways to view the collections but last time I checked I was unable to pull up the Amitabha Buddha or the beautiful Guanyin they had as well.

Plans for the Quarter Always subject to change of course.

Wake Sandman book 10 by Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Sjowall and Wahloo
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
Spenser books 6, 7 & 8
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
Joyland by Stephen King
87th Precinct book 3
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
I need to finish Bill Clinton's My Life It's a door stop or a weapon. Not sure.

Books I loved this year!

The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Stiff by Mary Roach
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Honorable Mention

87th Precinct Novels were introduced to me by Ellen and Paul seconded.

Spenser Novels were introduced to me by that LT Book Pusher known as Joe. Mamie and Donna also decided to jump off this bridge. What are friends for!

The Iron Druid Chronicles were introduced to me by Mamzel. Lady, you just don't know the whole can of fun you have introduced me to. I have giggled out loud and am only upset because book 7 isn't out until next summer. Even my 72 year old Mom has read them all. Perfect pop culture nerd/urban fantasy geek brain candy.

Of course not content with the Iron Druid crack, The LT Book Pusher, had to go ahead and mention the Dresden Files. Oh Joe!

Back later

Very
serene
statue.
Use
it.
Hi. ;-)

I'm back now.

Mamzel- I took your suggestion to heart.

#79


The Wake volume 10 of the Sandman concludes the series. It was satisfying as an epilogue although I wish we would know a little bit more about the Dream who was Daniel. It would be very hard to top volume 9 but 10 put the series to rest rather nicely.

Now on to read the companion book and see if any of the spin offs would interest me.

Any suggestions or opinions?

I'm a little behind you with The Sandman as I have just finished Volume 8. I have 9 sitting on my To Read Next Shelf. I am happy to hear that you felt the series wrapped up well, I am already having withdrawal pains.

Judy - Volume 9 will bring it all together and blow you away!

I don't think any of us would have complained if Gaiman had just continued the series with Daniel as Dream! :)

Eva - I know he is working on a prequel to Sandman but I would love a Daniel/Dream volume. I want to know how he is adjusting to his new role. :)

Perhaps he'll get his appetite whetted with the prequel... We can always hope! :)

#80


Joyland is a coming of age murder mystery by Stephen King. The story takes place at an amusement park where a murder has taken place some years earlier. There is a ghost in the story but it is not Kings usual horror fare. Nice story.

I love that cool retro cover!

Seconded! I love books with pulpy covers. They're great fun to take on the bus :D

Judy and rabbit princess I love those covers too!

My mom is in the hospital. She got a kidney stone and ended up almost septic. I got her the hospital before we reached true sepsis. Whew! She was so confused and didn't recognize me. It was quite scary. She may get to come home tomorrow. Fingers crossed and holding thumbs.

I'm reading Looking for Rachel Wallace, The Last Werewolf and I'm trying to finish The Man Who Went Up in Smoke but the library let me renew it twice so it has been bumped twice. ;)

I have to say that Joyland cover is quite the eye-catcher... but does it really convey the overall feel of the story, that is what I would be curious to know. Sorry to learn about your mom's recent hospitalization, Roberta. Sending you all the get well vibes I can channel for your mom!

Hope your mom is feeling better soon! That would be scary indeed.

Lori - It does somewhat. There is a murder mystery and rumors of the girl's ghost at the Horror House. The redhead with the green dress and the camera is one of the Hollywood Girls at the theme park. They take photos of customers. She helps investigate the murder mystery. Thanks for the get well vibes.

Rabbitprincess - Sorry it was you & not Eva I meant to mention in post #18. I would love a pulp cover purse. LOL! Thank you for the well wishes.

Scary!!! Hope mom feels better soon - holding my thumbs as hard as I can!

#81


Looking for Rachel Wallace is Spenser book 6. I heard from the local bookstore and I think it was Joe, that this one was very good. It was. Spenser is hired to look out for Rachel Wallace, a feminist and lesbian. Her new book is coming out and she has enemies. Spenser is not completely unenlightened but he is macho and somewhat old fashioned. He mixes with Rachel like oil and water. Spenser gets fired. Rachel gets kidnapped. Spenser never let a thing like getting fired stop him. This one was brilliant.

I said, "Feel like a freak?" She nodded. "Don't let them do that to you," I said.

"You still embody much that I must continue to disparage." She had trouble with disparage. "I still disapprove of you."
"Rachel," I said, "how could I respect anyone who didn't disapprove of me?"

Eva - Thank you for the holding of thumbs. Mom did well on the cephalosporin so we can use it if she absolutely needs to. She is discharged and I will head out shortly to pick her up.

Glad your mom is being discharged -- hope she will be better from now on!

Small book splurge from last weeks Friends of the Library Book sale.

Shane by Jack Schaefer
Watchman by Ian Rankin
The Stand by Stephen King
Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson
Tales From the Arabian Nights Translated and Annotated by Richard F. Burton

Christina - Many thanks. We are in and out of the hospital but we enjoy our victories.

I hope you like Watchman. It's one of Rankin's earlier novels and it shows a bit, but it is also unmistakably a Rankin novel with all the goodness that entails :)

Glad to hear that your mom is out of the hospital. Hope she makes a full recovery.

rabbitprincess - All the talk about Rankin made me comb the books to see if there was anything by him. The Watchman was it. I'm sure the library has all his books but I do like to buy from the sales and contribute. There was a Vorkosigan paperback but it did NOT pass the smell test. Actually, it looked disgusting too. Couldn't buy it, even for fifty cents.

Paruline - Thank you. Her health is poor but she is home and that is always a victory.

#82


The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan was a very good story, but I wasn't thrilled by it. The main character Jake is monster. He is a werewolf. I expect him to be a monster. Before he was a werewolf he is a privileged 19th century man. He meets the love of his life and when he becomes a werewolf that is the problem. He is all alone. He is extremely lonely. After 200 years he doesn't have much to live for so he is ready to die. He is the last werewolf alive as they have all been hunted down and killed. There are those that would kill him and those that would have him live to serve there purposes. He is interested in finding out the origin of the werewolf and that is where I thought the story was heading but then everything changed.

The plot was really good. Jake is testosterone filled and I would expect no less of a werewolf. He was sex crazy before he became a werewolf. If you don't like every other sentence to have a sexual reference then this book isn't for you. That didn't bother me. It think it fits with the werewolf narrative but the author's writing style was pretentious. Jake is smart and well read. I get it all the literary quotes and the language he uses. That fits well with a character that has lived more than 200 years but something about the descriptions and the writing reminded me of this quote from Cold Comfort Farm It was winter. The grimmest hour of the darkest day of the year. The Golden Orb had almost disappeared behind the interlacing fingers of the hawthorn. That was hilarious in CCF because CCF is a parody but TLW is not.

I'm going to give Talulla Rising a try because I've heard it's better than TLW, but I hope since Talulla is from the 20th/21st century we don't have all this nonsense when she is writing.

Haha at the Cold Comfort Farm quote - I'll keep that in mind when I get to The Last Werewolf. Maybe if I picture something nasty in the woodshed while I read, it'll be even better. :)

Sorry you didn't like TLW too much. I think a lot will depend how much you like the book is what expectations you go into it with. I know there were a few people describing it as Twilight for adults which is very misleading imho. Anyone going into The Last Werewolf with those ideas are probably in for a bad time. Personally I'd go for it being a modern literary update of an old horror trope. And Jake is definitely one of my favourite characters of anything that I've read recently.

Dave - I liked the plot and the writing style was fine up to a point. I think he just went a little overboard. Less is more for me. I've never read Twilight but when one of my nieces was 12 she described the whole series on a road trip for me. I think she might even have taken a breath or two! TLW doesn't seem like Twilight at all. What did you think of the sequel?

ETA: Dave I just went over to your thread and realized what a huge fan of Glen Duncan you are. Don't hate me please! :-/

Because I loved the first book the sequel didn't quite live up to expectations for me. Still a pretty good read though.

An excerpt from my review: How does Talulla compare as a narrator to Jake from the previous book? Yes, Jake was tired and world weary but he was also clever and funny and dammit, I liked him. Talulla is young so far as the werewolf thing goes and so her story is more brash and aggressive and while there is still humour it feels more forced than the sardonic utterances of Jake

Glen Duncan has a place on my favourite author lists. I've now read all but one of his books and as some were before my reading of TLW I knew what to expect from the writing style.

Edit: No hate from me. Especially as you're still willing to try out the 2nd in the lpanned trilogy anyway.

No hate here either, Roberta, but I was also one who loved Jake and much prefered his voice to that of Talulla's. The good news here is that you may very well enjoy the second book better than the first.

Eva - CCF always makes me laugh.

Dave - This was my first Duncan book. I'll try the sequel and if the library has another I may check it out. Any recommendations?

Judy - I read TLW because you and Mark loved it so much and you rarely steer me wrong. I liked the story. I liked Jake but I just thought it was too much. It's difficult to explain. I think I need to stop trying. ;-)

Roberta, don't worry we all know and understand that all books nor all characters are going to resonate with everyone.

Roberta, most of his books tend to be quite dark in their looks at the human psyche and are very difficult to recommend at all. Personally, I love them but realise they won't appeal to everyone. The only one I would say is lighter fare would be I, Lucifer but I don't think this is anywhere near his best (though I still liked it quite a lot). Death of an Ordinary Man probably isn't the best starting point either as it's quite difficult to get into due to the confusion of the narrator. I think Hope is very male-centric view so might not appeal. Love Remains is very bleak and A Day and A Night and A Day deals with the effects of torture. I'm sure you're getting the general idea. Sorry not to be much help.

#83


The Man Who Went Up in Smoke is the second book in The Story of Crime series better known as the Martin Beck Mysteries. In this one, Martin Beck has begun his vacation when he is called to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a Swedish journalist in Budapest.

Once again the plot is not action driven but a nice slow paced investigation into why this man went up in smoke. The descriptions of Budapest are wonderful and Martin meets a fellow policeman who aids in the investigation. My favorite parts are the interactions with his team back home.

Can't wait to read the next one.

Judy - So very true.

Dave - Sorry my thanks are late but I appreciate the breakdown of the Duncan books.

Ah, yes, still haven't gotten around to reading Martin Beck. I shall rectify soon, I promise. :)

Eva - I will be plugging Martin Beck into the Mystery CAT challenge next year. ;-)

Good idea - Martin Beck for April, then. :)

Eva - I am squeezing them in everywhere I can. Ha!

February - Series
April - Nordic
June - Police Procedurals

Hmm, not a bad idea at all. And if you have any left over, GeoCAT is doing Western Europe in August, so you can squeeze one in there too. :P

Eva - Thanks for that! I haven't looked at GeoCAT yet. I'm scared to add more books to the pile. Off I go...

I need to squeeze more of the Martin Beck series into my reading too. I'm at the same point in the series as you are and have the next few sitting on the tbr shelves so it's just a matter of actually pulling them out to read.

Dave - I'm reading number 3 before the year is out and I hope to finish the series next year. Join me if you would like.

I've started a thread for the December GROUP READ of Un Lun Dun by China Miéville. I know it's early but the holidays are up ahead and I don't want to get behind.

Un Lun Dun December GROUP READ

#84


Fool Moon by Jim Butcher is the second installment of The Dresden Files. This time around Harry is confronted by a Werewolf problem. Who knew there were so may kinds of Werewolves? Harry didn't. Bob has to educate him. Harry learns that he is not really paying attention to everything and everyone around him. Harry solves the Werewolf problem the hard way. What other way would he do it? Now Harry is finally cluing in that someone may be out to get him.

Awesome narration by James Marsters

#85



Seven for a Secret by Lyndsay Faye is an excellent sequel. I can say I enjoyed it better than the first. I really like the first, Gods of Gotham. We are six months past the case in Gods of Gotham. NYC is still a hotbed of politics with the Irish and the Natives and the Free Blacks all competing for resources in the jungle of the city. Timothy Wilde is in the middle of things again when a free black woman comes in to tell him her family has been kidnapped by slave catchers to be sold in the South.

When it comes to Timothy Wilde nothing is ever easy and when his brother Valentine is involved then things get a whole lot worse. I loved getting to know the characters better in this sequel. At first, I was upset because although Timothy is true to what you have learned of him so far in the first book he seems stuck. Well he is but even Timothy is not so dense as to stay stuck forever and at the end he nudges just a wee bit forward. Good for him and even better for us.

If you like historical fiction and police procedural this one is a good mix of the two.

Extra bonus that I loved the US cover! Very rare for me.

Glad to see you like the Martin Beck novels. I might be picking one up next year.

I'm about to finish up Blood Rites and have to agree that Marsters is a brilliant reader!

Paws - I hope you do. The Martin Beck are not thrillers but good old fashioned crime solving.

Eva - I was going to read some of the series but I do enjoy Marsters so I think I will be listening to the series as much as possible.

I started off reading them and they are fun, but I got one on audio and Marsters had me hooked immediately - I'm absolutely listening to the rest!

#86



Early Autumn by Robert B. Parker Spenser 7 was so good. I'm tied between 6 & 7 that I love the most so far. Spenser is in the middle of a custody dispute and neither parent is worth a hill of Boston baked beans. Of course Spenser meddles and makes things work out in the Spenser way.

My proposed reading for next month which starts Sunday.

DECEMBER READING LIST

FINISH
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville for group read
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood for planned group read
A View From Castle Rock by Alice Munro
Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzier

READ
A Savage Place by Robert B. Parker
Crime for Christmas edited by Richard Dalby
The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo

#87



Just finished up The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I read some on my Kindle but mostly listened to the version narrated by Claire Danes. She did a fantastic job. The words came alive for me through her narration in a way they would not have by solely reading it. The ending enlightened me as to why this format was perfect.

I have a lot to say but I struggle with not revealing too much. I'll post more thoughts later. The story is still percolating in my brain.

#88



This is more my not so humble opinion and not really a review.

A Savage Place by Robert B. Parker is number 8 in the Spenser series. Here is my honest assessment. Plot wise as far as the crime and characters goes this was very well written. Now for Spenser He is a two timing dirty rat bastard! He jumps into bed with this hot blonde two minutes after he meets her and before he has been through the wringer with her. He tries to justify his actions by saying it was in the moment and he is going to tell Susan. Also, he tells Candy that Susan won't mind much. I await book 9 to see how much Susan minds or doesn't mind. After he has been through heck with her and she wants to sleep with him again Spenser declines because he then it would be cheating on Susan because it isn't in the moment. Candy says it has to do with the fact that she just slept with someone else. Probably. Spenser is old fashioned and macho. Usually, it wears well on him. This time it didn't. He gets in trouble with the DA's office in LA. That part I didn't mind. That is classic Spenser seeking justice in his own way.

Ok I feel better. On to the next one.

#89



Un Lun Dun by China Miéville is charming little alternate reality book for children. The book is labeled YA and I think that is a mistake. It is written for a much younger audience than what the current YA market is aimed for. I haven't read any of Miéville's other work so I can't compare but I think that may be a plus. I read this as a children's book and with that in mind I enjoyed it very much. The main character Deeba is wonderful role model. She is an ordinary girl that gets caught up in extraordinary circumstances and rises to the occasion. I would loved to have read this when I was young. I will definitely share with the great nieces and nephews.

The Handmaid's Tale is one of my favourite Atwood books, but it's been a long time since I'd read it and I'd like to do a reread sometime. I really should try the audiobook this time around. Glad you had a good experience with it.

Paulina - Claire Danes did an exceptional job narrating The Handmaid's Tale I will definitely give it another listen down the road. I highly recommend it.

Roberta, I am just starting Un Lun Dun and enjoying it quite a bit. It has a very different feel from the other China Mieville that I have read which was Perdido Street Station, probably because this is aimed at a much younger audience.

Judy - I had not read any China Miéville so I don't have any of his other work to compare it to. I enjoyed it as a children's literature book. I look forward to some of his other work so I can really see what people rave about.

Currently I am reading The View From Castle Rock which has just pulled me in. I feel as if I am talking to someone at a family gathering or reading a family member's journal. I'm also listening to Border Songs which is very entertaining! I am listening in the car and laughing out loud. I'm sure people think I'm mad.

#90



After Dead by Charlaine Harris, what a snooze fest. Seriously, she should have written an epilogue with Dead Ever After and included the minor players in a short on her web site. I got this from the library and I am glad I am not out any $ for this one. This was a money grab by the publisher and I'm sorry Ms. Harris thought this was a good idea. I know she loves her fans and they probably clamored for more Sookieverse. What price though?

Boo!

#91



Finished Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler. It is a nice collection of short stories all focusing around mystery, murder and Christmas. They feature The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City. Most of these stories were good. I recommend not reading many in one sitting. They made a perfect night cap. I read this for the Have Yourself a Merry Little Murder - Christmas Mystery group read http://www.librarything.com/topic/161380

I have one more Christmas mystery anthology waiting for me at the library.

Thanks for posting a bigger picture of the cover of the Mysterious Bookshop book -- just noticed that Ed McBain is one of the contributors! Will have to request this collection for some post-holiday reading.

rabbitprincess - His was a typical McBain "I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus".

I have a couple more stories to read. It's been fun to read one each night - gave me something to look forward to.

Stacy - It was a fun read. I think I will make it a Christmas tradition to read themed mysteries. I have Crime for Christmas waiting at the library but they were closed before I got off from work this evening.

Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop sounds like a great collection! I too enjoy reading Christmas themed mysteries over the holidays.

67 - Books that have "never before published" on the covers should really say "at your own risk." There was probably a reason it was "never before published." Sorry you had to suffer through it. Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop looks far more fun!

Paulina - I'm glad rabbitprincess started the thread. I have really enjoyed the stories.

Katie - I will look out for "never before published". The Christmas mysteries were fun.

#92



The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro is an exceptional collection of stories that tell the story of a family that emigrates from Scotland to Canada and then their lives through to the present day. The family is stoic and hardworking but they pass down a love for reading down to the present day narrator who is an author. Munro says in the beginning that though this was very largely drawn from her family history and documents it is a fictionalized version.

I loved the way this was written. It drew me in as if I was sitting across the table from her listening to her tell the stories while we drank our coffee. It felt the way it does when you go to a family gathering and the older relatives start reminiscing and chiming in giving details to family legends and histories.

This is one of my top reads this year.

#93



The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö is the third installment of The Story of Crime or Martin Beck Mysteries. The crime is horrific. Two young girls are found dead and raped within days of each other. Thankfully, not too much detail of the crime is given. The book, like the first two, is methodical in the solving of the crime. Martin still drinks too much coffee and smokes too much. It seems he has been promoted. Kolberg and Melander are still around. These three make a great team. A new detective is introduced, Larsson. He is a jerk.

The crime is solved but we see in the story another tour of Stockholm and discussions of why drug use and crime are increasing and why an increase in the police state isn't a very good solution. I have been waiting for the social commentary in the series and finally it appears. It's not too preachy in this one but then again I am reading this in 2013 and the book took place in 1967. I have the benefit of hindsight.

This is a solid story and a nice installment in the series.

#94



I grew up in Laredo, Texas on the US-Mexican border. That border has been manned far longer than I would be able to recall. This book, Border Songs by Jim Lynch takes place on the US-Canadian border in the years right after 9/11. The area is northern Washington State and British Columbia.

In the novel, Brandon Vanderkool, is a rookie Border Patrol agent. He is also six foot eight inches and autistic. He worked on his parents dairy farm until his father forces him to join up with the expanding Border Patrol. Brandon has a love of nature and especially birds. He counts the number of species he can identify daily. It is astounding! His keen observation accidentally makes him a very good agent. He apprehends more than his fair share of illegal immigrants and drug traffickers. Truly all he wants to do is immerse himself in nature and love the girl next door. Next door being across the ditch in Canada.

The events in the book are a bit farfetched and the characters are best described as quirky. Still the book is well written and you can't help but root for Brandon.

Okay so I made it 3 books past my target but unfortunately most of the books I read were not on my original challenge. I hope to do better next year. I did not box myself in as much.

Yup, quirky is the best way to describe the characters in Border Songs. I love quirky characters, but I have to say the history of the Canada-US border has it's own aspects of quirkiness as this wonderful Youtube video of the clear cut border explains. Brings a smile to my face and a shake of my head every time I watch it. ;-)

Lori - That is awesome and the 49th parallel border is so CRAZY!

Nice review of the Alice Munro collection. I've not read this one yet, but I've read several of her earlier collections and loved every one of them.

Love the Youtube video, Lori, put a big smile on my face as well. :)

Paulina - I am ready to read another Munro collection soon. It's good to know you have loved every one of them. Out of curiosity which is (are) your favorite(s)?

Judy - *minor spoiler* I loved the part in Border Songs when the Professor is standing with his GPS telling the American Politicians they were standing in Canada! Bwahaha! I thought of that when I saw the YouTube video.

Merry Christmas Everyone!



This is my Christmas T shirt I will be wearing to watch Love Actually this evening. The Devilles wish y'all a Merry Christmas too.

Adorable! Merry Christmas!

>84 luvamystery65:: I'd reread Who Do You Think You Are? recently. (This has also been published as The Beggar Maid.) I thought it was wonderful, as I had when I'd read it in my younger days. So this one comes to mind immediately, but it might be more of a sentimental favourite for me.

Great T-shirt!

Have a great Christmas, Roberta. All the best to your Mom as well. Enjoy your movie tonight.

rabbitprincess - Thanks!

Paulina - I'll look into this one. I think I may end up reading all of Alice Munro's offerings.

Judy - Thank you! I'll pass on your message to my Mom.

#95



Lucretia and the Kroons is a short prequel to The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle. The Devil in Silver was an excellent book and Lucretia, known as Loochie, is one of the more memorable characters. In this novella she turns twelve and is waiting on her best friend to celebrate her birthday. Her best friend has been battling cancer.

Loochie ends up hearing a story from her brother about the family from apartment 6D, the Kroons. They were crackheads from the 80s and although the apartment is boarded up, Loochies brother says they are still there and they burn and eat children.

Loochie ends up in apartment 6D in an attempt to rescue her best friend. While there she ends up in an unbelievable situation. She makes it out alive but when she tells her mother Loochie's life changes forever.

#96



The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens is a sappy little Christmas story about mistaken intentions and hidden identities. There is the miser turned nice in the end but without any explanation. A Christmas Carol is better but this was narrated by Jim Dale which made it very enjoyable as I sent out my Christmas wishes here on LT.

Here is a list of some of my favorites of 2013.

BEST FAVORITE READS OF 2013

Best (this one is the BEST because I said so) Series
A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussi Adler-Olsen Department Q all the way! *warbles* I am a card caring fan!

Non Fiction
Stiff by Mary Roach Her footnotes alone made it to my favorites list. Thanks Mark
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff She would have had a huge Twitter following if she was alive today.

Fiction
Genesis by Bernard Beckett Because it forced me to think outside the box. Thanks Valerie
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng It was a great story, well told. I learned about a part of the world I knew very little of. It left me with many questions and this book will be a reread. Thanks Joe/Valerie/Paul/Darryl
The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky This book was fiction but had so much truth in it that it hurt. I wish my generation had this book instead of Go Ask Alice. Thanks Joe
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons A parody need not be heavy handed. I bow before Ms Gibbons. Well done lady.

Short Story Collection
The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro From my review It drew me in as if I was sitting across the table from her listening to her tell the stories while we drank our coffee. Thanks to Mark and Ellen

Graphic
The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon I fell in love with this book. Every single thing about it. I don’t know why. Sometimes you just do. Thanks Joe!!!
The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman and crew. This series is at times disturbing but always mind blowing. Volume 9 is a masterpiece in story telling but you can’t get there without all the preceding ones. Volume 10 was a nice epilogue. Thanks Pete and Eva

Juvenile
Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver A lovely tale of letting go in your very own way. Who led me to this one? Katie? Bianca? Shout out to Tina for sending me my VERY OWN COPY!
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness Another tale of letting go but this one cuts deep. I didn't want to go there but I am grateful I did. Thanks Mark

MOST FUN BRAIN CANDY EVER
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne Thanks Mamzel
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch Thanks Joe & Bianca

Honorable Mentions

Gods of Gotham thanks Mark
Seven for a Secret ditto
The Stockholm Octavo thanks Richard
The Song of Achilles Sigh
The Night Circus Luscious Thanks Bianca
The Graveyard Book Delightful

#97



Crime for Christmas: Sixteen Tales of Murder and Mistletoe edited by Richard Dalby is an excellent anthology. I loved these stories. I will definitely read this one again! If you love mysteries and Christmas be sure and find this collection.

I loved Big Machine, keep meaning to pick up The Devil in Silver so glad to hear its good. Happy New Year.

#98



"The only two useful art forms are religions and stories"

The Body by Stephen King is a coming of age story in the early 1960s in fictional Castle Rock, Maine. Four twelve year old boys set off on a trek to find the body of a boy their age that is dead near the railroad tracks. On the way they dare, boast and dream of their futures.

The adventure is a snapshot in time for Gordie, the narrator, who lives for writing stories. Gordie grows up to be a successful writer but still he always remembers this summer and the adventure that was the beginning of his growing up.

#99



"Because school is in," she said smiling. "That's right," Dave said, "and what's nice for old guys like us?" "You only have to bother teaching people who want to learn."

The Colorado Kid by Stephen King is short book published by Hard Case Crime. I picked it up because I absolutely loved Joyland and thought it might be along that vein. It wasn't bad but I honestly wouldn't bother.

The story takes place in Moose-Lookit Island Maine. Stephanie is an intern at the local paper and the nonagenarian owner/editor and his right hand man who is sixty something are teaching her the ropes. There is twenty-five year old mystery from the eighties they tell her about and I'll leave it at that. Seriously, just pretend you read the book because that is about all you will get out of it.

You're welcome. :)

#100



He was the boy I had given birth to and he was more defenceless now than he had been then. And in those days after he was born, when I held him and watched him, my thoughts included the thought that I would have someone now to watch over me when I was dying, to look after my body when I had died. In those days if I had even dreamed that I would see him bloody, and the crowd around filled with zeal that he should be bloodied more, I would have cried out as I cried out that day and the cry would have come from a part of me that is the core of me. The rest of me is merely flesh and blood and bone.

The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín is a beautifully written novella about the last days of Mary, the mother of Jesus. It was quite a different point of view than anything I have ever read in the past.

I attended Catholic school through fifth grade and went to Christian Universities (Church of Christ and Baptist). Through those lenses this would seem blasphemous.

What it was for me was a story of a mother's grief. This is a grief so deep it is with her always and cuts her still so many years later as her son's legend grows larger in his death than it was in his life. As his legend grew he became more of stranger and her loss was more profound. The what ifs haunt her.

I will revisit this book again in audio narrated by Meryl Streep.

Oh thanks. I "just read" The Colorado Kid. Quickest read ever. ;)

Katie - You're welcome! In reading up about the book they loosely based a whole series called Haven which airs on SyFy on this book. Apparently, it is full of King novel's references.