LibraryLover23's 2014 Challenge

This will be the start of my seventh year on LT, and boy, how time flies! I typically read between 75-100 books a year, so I'm not too worried about meeting the challenge. Previous threads can be found here:

2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

Reading List

January
1. Anne Of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
2. Look For Me By Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn
3. 1 Dead In Attic: After Katrina by Chris Rose
4. Eighty Days: Nellie Bly And Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around The World by Matthew Goodman
5. Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs
6. Ladder Of Years by Anne Tyler

February
7. Agnes And The Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
8. Fairy Tales Of Ireland by W.B. Yeats
9. Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry
11. Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub
12. The Shade Of The Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer
13. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

March
14. Who Put That Hair In My Toothbrush? by Jerry Spinelli
15. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
16. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker
17. The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
18. The End by Lemony Snicket
19. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
20. The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman
21. A Trick Of The Light by Louise Penny

April
22. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
23. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
24. Z For Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
25. Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King
26. A Cold Day For Murder by Dana Stabenow
27. Confederates In The Attic: Dispatches From The Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz

May
28. Anne's House Of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
29. From A Buick 8 by Stephen King
30. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
31. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
32. The Dark Tower V: Wolves Of The Calla by Stephen King

June
33. The Supremes At Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore
34. Field Of Prey by John Sandford
35. The Dark Tower VI: Song Of Susannah by Stephen King
36. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
37. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

July
38. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King
39. Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich
40. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
41. Book Of Ages: The Life And Opinions Of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore

August
42. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
43. The Last Word by Lisa Lutz
44. The Lost Art Of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith
45. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King
46. A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
47. The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene
48. Pay Dirt by Rita Mae Brown
49. Up Close: John Steinbeck by Milton Meltzer

September
50. The Prince Of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
51. Cell by Stephen King
52. The Litter Of The Law by Rita Mae Brown
53. Stiff: The Curious Lives Of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
54. Anne Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
55. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

October
56. A Night In The Cemetery: And Other Stories Of Crime And Suspense by Anton Chekhov
57. Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon
58. City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

November
59. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
60. The Captive by Joyce Hansen
61. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology And My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill and Lisa Pulitzer
62. Nine Lives To Die by Rita Mae Brown
63. The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo
64. Christmas With Anne And Other Holiday Stories by L.M. Montgomery

December
65. The Miracle At Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
66. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
67. Lisey's Story by Stephen King
68. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
69. A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder
70. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Here's a list of the series I'm currently reading, or ones that I hope to start soon. (Note: I'm keeping the ones I've already crossed off just to prove that I can, in fact, finish a series.

Aidan, Pamela—Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series (read 1 out of 3) Next up: Duty And Desire
Alexander, Lloyd—The Prydain Chronicles (read 0 out of 5) Next up: The Book Of Three
Banks, Lynne Reid—The Indian In The Cupboard series (read 1 out of 5 but want to reread them all) Next up: The Indian In The Cupboard
Bradley, Alan—Flavia de Luce series (read 1 out of 7) Next up: The Weed That Strings The Hangman’s Bag
Castillo, Linda—Kate Burkholder series (read 6 out of 7) Next up: After The Storm
Castle, Richard—Nikki Heat series (read 2 out of 6) Next up: Heat Rises
Cronin, Justin—The Passage Trilogy (read 1 out of 3) Next up: The Twelve
Dobson, Joanne—Karen Pelletier series (read 2 out of 6) Next up: The Raven And The Nightingale: A Modern Mystery Of Edgar Allan Poe
Evanovich, Janet—Stephanie Plum series (read 21 out of 21) Next up: ???
Grafton, Sue—Alphabet Mysteries (read 2 out of 23) Next up: “C” Is For Corpse
Harris, Charlaine—Harper Connelly series (read 2 out of 4) Next up: An Ice Cold Grave
Harris, Charlaine—Lily Bard series (read 5 out of 5)
Harris, Charlaine—Sookie Stackhouse series (read 13 out of 13)
Harris, Thomas—Hannibal Lecter series (read 1 out of 4) Next up: The Silence Of The Lambs
King, Stephen—The Dark Tower series (read 7 out of 8) Next up: The Wind Through The Keyhole
Littlefield, Sophie—Stella Hardesty series (read 2 out of 5) Next up: A Bad Day For Scandal
Lutz, Lisa—Izzy Spellman series (read 6 out of 6) Next up: ???
Montgomery, L.M.—Anne Of Green Gables series (read 6 out of 9) Next up: Rainbow Valley
Nix, Garth—The Abhorsen Trilogy (read 0 out of 3) Next up: Sabriel
Penny, Louise—Three Pines series (read 8 out of 10) Next up: How The Light Gets In
Pullman, Philip—His Dark Materials series (read 1 out of 3) Next up: The Subtle Knife
Quinn, Spencer—Chet and Bernie Mysteries (read 5 out of 7) Next up: The Sound And The Furry
Roth, Veronica—Divergent Trilogy (read 3 out of 3)
Smith, Alexander McCall—Isabel Dalhousie series (read 6 out of 9) Next up: The Charming Quirks Of Others
Smith, Alexander McCall—No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series (read 9 out of 15) Next up: Tea Time For The Traditionally Built
Snicket, Lemony—Unfortunate Events series (read 13 out of 13)
Stewart, Mary—Arthurian Saga series (read 0 out of 5) Next up: The Crystal Cave
Tolkien, J.R.R.—Lord Of The Rings (read 1 out of 4) Next up: The Fellowship Of The Ring

These are the remaining Stephen King books I have to read as part of the King's Dear Constant Readers readalong. I resolve to do better this year than I did last year! I've read his bibliography up to this point, these are the ones that are left (I'm skipping some of the e-books and things). Titles came from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_King_bibliography although of course, more can be added at any time.

Black House
Everything’s Eventual
From A Buick 8
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
The Colorado Kid
Cell
Lisey’s Story
Blaze
Duma Key
Just After Sunset
Under The Dome
Blockade Billy
Full Dark, No Stars
11/22/63
The Dark Tower: The Wind Through The Keyhole
Joyland
Doctor Sleep
Mr. Mercedes
Revival

Hi LibraryLover! (I too am a great lover of libraries -- I go to my local one once or twice a week).

(And I also plan to get into His Dark Materials and LoTR this year.)

Good luck with all that reading! Happy New Year!

>5 TurnThePaige: Thanks, TurnThePaige! I resolve to focus more on my own shelves this year, although the siren song of the library is often hard for me to resist. Good luck with your reading too, and Happy 2014!

>3 LibraryLover23: - I hate to tell you this, but there are 8 Anne of Green Gables books, not 6 - Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside. Technically there is a new, ninth book as well, that was just published a few years ago, called The Blythes are Quoted. Montgomery gave it to her publisher right before she died, so it never went through the editing process. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! LOL

I'm reading the Justin Cronin trilogy too. I loved The Passage, and need to read The Twelve soon.

Have a great year of reading!

Welcome back!

>7 Cait86: Oh man, and here I thought I was doing so well! Lol, thanks for setting me straight, I guess because Anne's name wasn't in the titles of the later ones I didn't connect them for some reason. But I don't mind, I love the Anne books. :)

>8 drneutron: Thanks, drneutron, and thanks for setting up the group!

*waves*

I admire your challenge to finish more series. I need to do that!

Happy New Year from a mere few miles away!

>10 cal8769: *waves back* If I didn't keep that series list I'm afraid I'd lose track. I don't necessarily get to them quickly, but at least I know where I am in all of them!

>11 qebo: Thanks, qebo! I'm gonna try to swing by the Little Free Library next time I'm in town. ;)

Happy New Year! That's an impressive list of series... I don't know if I could do anything similar! You've made me want to reread both the Anne books & the Chronicles of Prydain too! :)

12: Let me know a bit in advance and I'll probably be able to step outside and say hello.

>13 allthesedarnbooks: Thanks! Yeah, my series list is a little over the top, lol, but it keeps me on the straight and narrow. :)

>14 qebo: I will!

1. Anne Of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery (258 p.)
I'm cheating a bit as this one was mostly finished before today, but oh well. I adore the Anne books, they're a sheer delight to read. This one finds Anne working as a school principal, while also encountering the usual motley crew of characters. A pleasant, happy way to start the year.

I'm jealous that you had a finish today, even if it had been mostly completed before today. I've had very little reading time today. The house was full of people, and it was hard to concentrate with all the activity. I'll be driving most of the day tomorrow. By the time I get the car unloaded, I'm not sure if I'll feel like reading or not.

>17 thornton37814: That stinks. I know what you mean, usually it's when I'm really busy that I most feel like reading. And then sometimes when I have time to read I'll find myself doing other things... But hopefully you can catch up this weekend!

I ended up with a headache that limited my reading time today. I have still made good progress and should finish a couple this weekend.

Isn't that the most terrible thing? When you feel like reading, you can't, and then sometimes when you have time on your hands, you're distracted by something else (a headache being of the more annoying variety of distractions).

>19 thornton37814: I hope you're feeling better and are back to your normal reading rate!

>20 TurnThePaige: Very true!

2. Look For Me By Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn (198 p.)
It's rare to find a Mary Downing Hahn book that I haven't read before, when I was in elementary school I would check out her books from the library over and over obsessively. This one is more of a teen novel, about a girl who goes to live with her father, stepmother and half-brother at a remote Maine inn. While there, she meets a mysterious guest, an older man who catches her attention and quickly has her under his spell. As an adult reading this for the first time, I can see its simplicity and knew where things were leading long before the characters did, but darn if she didn't hook me in anyway. A good read for the younger set but if you're just starting out with Mary, I'd recommend her The Jellyfish Season. Now that one is timeless.

Hi LL! I'm impressed that you can even finish a series, any series, it's something I seem incapable of doing myself. I get close, but then "save" that book for the "right time" which never seems to really come around. *shrug* Oh well! Can't wait to see what you end up reading this year!

>23 LauraBrook: Hey Laura! Thanks for stopping by. I know what you mean about not finishing series, some of those have been on my list for ages it seems. But by having it there it reminds me of what I need to finish before I get too involved with any others!

Hi, Library Lover just found your thread and have stared it. It looks like you have some interesting series on the go at the moment. I plan on reading the LOTR series this year. Looking forward to following your progress this year :)

Oh! Just found your thread! I'm also reading some of those series in your list, so I'll be keeping an eye out here! Also, wondering if I should make a similar list to keep track of things...

>25 NicolePatrick: Hello, and thank you! I've went and starred your thread as well. Although I don't comment often, I lurk around a lot. :) Happy reading!

>26 dk_phoenix: Hey there! I actually had a lot of fun creating that series list...but I'm nerdy that way. :) And I've starred your thread and hope to keep up with your reading too!

3. 1 Dead In Attic: After Katrina by Chris Rose (364 p.)
I visited New Orleans for the first time last month and I made it a point to visit every bookstore in the French Quarter. (What a great vacation.) Anyway, this one was usually featured prominently near the cash registers and I finally caved and bought a copy. This is a collection of Rose's articles about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and it's pretty powerful stuff. There's a lot of dark humor throughout, and towards the end he admits he was nearly incapacitated by depression, but it's an important look at how the town coped immediately after the disaster.

>28 LibraryLover23:: I keep thinking about getting that one and then chickening out. My cousin-in-law did a couple of 'tours' in Katrina helping to clean up, and he said that even though he's been deployed to Afghanistan twice, his time in NO is what gives him nightmares. He was part of an army unit that had to go in to those houses with those, *gulp*, numbers painted on the outside and bring the bodies out...

>29 scaifea: Oh my, that's crazy. In the book Rose talked about stuff like that, I think at one point he would go to a neighborhood basketball court and on his way there he would pass a dead body on a porch and it was weeks before someone came to remove it. That's partly why I wanted to read the book, with my recent vacation there everything seemed so happy-go-lucky but I know it's certainly not always that way.

4. Eighty Days: Nellie Bly And Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around The World by Matthew Goodman (450 p.)
Interesting and very readable look at a mostly forgotten bit of history: two women's around-the-world trip to try to beat the time set in the Jules Verne novel, Around The World In Eighty Days. I've wanted to learn more about Nellie Bly for a long time, and Elizabeth Bisland's story was just as intriguing. Although at times the story seemed a little overly detailed, it was still fascinating to learn about these intrepid women and some tidbits of 19th century travel and history.

5. Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs (188 p.)
A harrowing children's/YA story, about a young girl who's forced into a work camp with her sister and other Jewish girls during the Holocaust. The author based the story on her mother-in-law's experiences, giving the book authentic, true life details.

Torn Thread sounds like one I'd enjoy. I'll add it to my list if the local library has it.

ETA: They did.

>33 thornton37814: Oh good, I hope you like it! I found it gripping.

31: I recently read Around the World by Matt Phelan, and it made me want to learn more about all three people he wrote about. (Thomas Stevens, Joshua Slocum, and Nellie Bly, by the way.) He mentioned Elizabeth Bisland in passing, and I think Eighty Days might fit the bill just right for learning more about these two ladies!

>31 LibraryLover23:: That's the second time this morning that this book has been mentioned in the threads I've read - that's it, I'm wishlisting it! Thanks for the review!

>35 LauraBrook:, 36 I requested (and won) the book through Early Reviewers, mainly because of my interest in learning more about Nellie Bly, but I found the whole story of the trip fascinating. And Goodman mentions something about how people living back then would be shocked that no one knows the story today, as it was such a big deal at the time. But anyway, Around The World sounds interesting, Laura, and I hope you both like Eighty Days if/when you get to it!

6. Ladder Of Years by Anne Tyler (406 p.)
As always Tyler's characterization is flawless and as I was reading the book, I found myself so immersed that when I would stop reading it was always a surprise to find that there was a real world going on around me. She's one of the few authors who consistently does that to me with her books. Anyway, this one is about a woman named Delia who, upon finding herself unappreciated by her family, simply wanders away during a family vacation. And again, as with all of Tyler's books, you have no idea where she will end up.

January Books Read
1. Anne Of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
2. Look For Me By Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn
3. 1 Dead In Attic: After Katrina by Chris Rose
4. Eighty Days: Nellie Bly And Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around The World by Matthew Goodman
5. Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs
6. Ladder Of Years by Anne Tyler

January Books Acquired
My First Five Husbands...And The Ones Who Got Away by Rue McClanahan (a gift)
Blaze by Richard Bachman (a gift)

7. Agnes And The Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (419 p.)
When Agnes tries to throw a wedding for her best friend's daughter nothing goes according to plan, especially when she learns money from a long-ago heist might be hidden in her house. People connected to the crime start to come out of the woodwork, and Agnes has a hitman named Shane help her sort everything out. Fluffy but fun, the chapters switch back and forth from Agnes' and Shane's perspectives, giving the book a "he said, she said" vibe.

8. Fairy Tales Of Ireland by W.B. Yeats (160 p.)
Loved this one. Just as it says, it's a collection of Irish fairy tales which features giants, fairies, talking animals and more. My favorite was "Donald And His Neighbours," about a guy who tricks his neighbors into killing their mothers and drowning themselves after they try to do him harm (it was delightfully twisted). The stories were also beautifully illustrated by P.J. Lynch; this one's definitely a keeper.

Whelp, you got me with your #8; I *need* to read that one. Wishlisted!

>42 scaifea: I randomly came across it at a library book sale. It was a great find!

9. Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane (422 p.)
Much like with Anne Tyler's books (see #6 above), I find myself completely drawn into the world Lehane creates with his writing. In this book's case, it's the seedy underside of Boston, and a mystery involving a missing child and the two private investigators who were hired to find her. Great stuff.

Yup. I love pretty much everything Lehane has written.

>45 drneutron: I think this is the third book of his I've read so far and they've all been fantastic. He'll definitely be a go-to author for me in the future!

10. The Giver by Lois Lowry (179 p.)
Wow, what a book. I can see why it's often a banned book, which made me like it all the more. Jonas lives in a futuristic world where everything is the same and it always has been, but his life is about to change when he's selected to be the next Receiver, the one person who holds all the memories. The ending is a little ambiguous, which means I'm a little ambiguous about it, but it was an unputdownable read all the same.

I've never read The Giver, and people look at me funny all the time when I say that. I guess it's part of the regular public school curriculum, but somehow I managed to avoid it. I know I should just read it -- almost everyone I've talked to has a reaction like yours!

>47 LibraryLover23:: Yes! Such a great book, isn't it? Honestly, I haven't read a book of Lowry's that I haven't just loved.

>48 dk_phoenix: Yes! You should definitely read it. If it's any kind of extra incentive, it was a very fast read, I finished it in a couple of sittings.

>49 scaifea: This is the only one of hers I've read so far, she's an author I'll have to keep an eye out for!

11. Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub (625 p.)
This sequel to the The Talisman finds Jack Sawyer all grown up and entangled in a case involving a serial killer. Unfortunately the killer has ties to the Territories, the alternative world that Jack explored as a child in The Talisman. I have to say, I vastly preferred The Talisman to this one, mainly because the Territories were only a peripheral feature in this book, and Jack spent most of his time reluctant to acknowledge his childhood adventures. But that's not to say it was all bad, the central mystery was rather intriguing (if gruesome), and when they did finally make it to the Territories the action really picked up.

12. The Shade Of The Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer (288 p.)
This one was such a disappointment to me, unfortunately. This is the fourth book in the Last Survivors series, the first one, Life As We Knew It, has become one of my all-time favorites, after only one reading. It was so powerful and haunting and disturbing; after an asteroid hits the moon the world pretty much comes to an end, with natural disasters such as volcanoes erupting, their ash blocks out the sun which makes food production nearly impossible. I almost wish I would have stopped after that one, as the books get progressively bleaker, although they usually manage to end with some glimmer of hope.

This one, however, had way too many problems for me to overcome. It follows Jon, who is not nearly as interesting a character as Miranda, the protagonist of the first and third books. Jon made it to an enclave, which is separated into the haves and have-nots; the "clavers" have access to food grown in greenhouses and purified air. The "grubs" are those with no essential skills so they're relegated to roles such as maids and caregivers. But why anybody would put up with the ridiculous level of subjugation the grubs are forced to undergo is beyond me. And the strange thing was the emphasis they put on keeping the grubs down. I mean, the world just came to an end, why are you worried about having a clean kitchen floor? And even the names "clavers" and "grubs" annoyed me. Add to that the non-likable peripheral characters, the killing off of major characters, ugh, it was bad. And I see that this review is getting rather long and ranty so I'll wrap it up by saying skip this one, read Life As We Knew It instead.

13. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings (297 p.)
Told from the perspective of Matt King, a man who is descended from Hawaiian royalty, this is the story about Matt coming to terms with his wife, who is in a coma, and his daughters, who he feels he barely knows. It's a testament to the author's skill that I assumed it was a man writing this, (I couldn't tell if Kaui was a masculine or feminine name), so I was pleasantly surprised to find that the author is female. By turns sad and funny, the movie version is good too.

February Books Read
7. Agnes And The Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
8. Fairy Tales Of Ireland by W.B. Yeats
9. Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry
11. Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub
12. The Shade Of The Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer
13. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

February Books Acquired
None! And I'm starting to get anxious for the spring book sales to start up...

14. Who Put That Hair In My Toothbrush? by Jerry Spinelli (220 p.)
I must have read this book a thousand times when I was a kid and it's just as fabulous today, and surprisingly not at all dated. The chapters alternate back and forth in perspective between Megin and her brother Greg, both are sworn enemies of the other until an event causes them to rethink their relationship. It's funny, heartfelt, and I've been convinced since I was a kid that I will love French crullers should I ever come across them, simply because Megin's grandmother Emilie does.

15. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris (310 p.)
Second in the Harper Connelly series. Harper was struck by lightning when she was younger, now she can tell how a person died just by standing near the body. When a college professor invites Harper and her brother Tolliver to an old cemetery to try and prove her a fraud, Harper is shocked to find a recent murder victim buried in one of the already used graves.

Harper falls in the middle of my ranking of Harris' heroines, but regardless, this is a solid Southern mystery series with just a touch of fantasy.

16. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker (399 p.)
Top-notch true crime about five women who were killed by the Long Island serial killer(s). Because the women were working as escorts (they vanished after going to visit a john they met on Craigslist), their missing-person cases weren't taken seriously at first, until four of the bodies were found by the side of the road in a place called Oak Beach. Truthfully, I'm thankful to be finished with the book. (It was keeping me up at night it was so disturbing.) And even though there were plenty of shady people in these women's lives, they still don't know who killed them. But Kolker at least gives the women a voice, and a personality beyond what you just read in the newspapers.

17. The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket (353 p.)
Penultimate book in the Unfortunate Events series and just as madcap and zany as the others, with the Baudelaire orphans stuck at the Hotel Denouement working as concierges.

18. The End by Lemony Snicket (324 p.)
The final book in the series and I'm afraid my questions will be left unanswered. I was fully expecting this one to wrap up all the loose plot points, but to my surprise, it was just the Baudelaires in yet another unfortunate situation. I suppose I should have known better, but it was a bit of a letdown anyway. The series as a whole though was always good for a laugh, I'm just not sure how I feel about this one.

19. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (525 p.)
Second book in the Divergent trilogy and the action picks up immediately after where the first book left off. Just as action-packed as the previous book, but I'm afraid Tris isn't going to be one of my favorite characters. For me she straddles the line of being likable and annoying. But that being said, I am curious to see how the final book wraps things up and I do wish for a happy ending for these characters.

20. The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman (368 p.)
Well-written non-fiction about how the owners of the Warsaw Zoo hid Jewish people from the Nazis during World War II. In addition to the zookeepers' (Jan and Antonina's) story, the author would go off on tangents on fellow resistance fighters, animals, nature, and other fascinating things.

21. A Trick Of The Light by Louise Penny (339 p.)
Seventh in the Three Pines series and they just get better and better. I love how previous plot lines get carried over from book to book, making you want to continue on and see how things get resolved. I also appreciate the character growth and getting to know these characters intimately over the course of the series.

I finally jumped on the Three Pines band wagon and I love it. I was getting ready to start the third book but was side tracked by a couple of ARC that I had sitting around. I'm ready to go back to town. Lol

>63 cal8769: It's a great place to "visit" isn't it? Here's a quote from A Trick Of The Light that I thought was funny:

"But this little village produced bodies and gourmet meals in equal proportion." :)

March Books Read
14. Who Put That Hair In My Toothbrush? by Jerry Spinelli
15. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
16. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker
17. The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
18. The End by Lemony Snicket
19. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
20. The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman
21. A Trick Of The Light by Louise Penny

March Books Acquired
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Twelve by Justin Cronin
The Mitford Bedside Companion: A Treasury Of Favorite Mitford Moments, Author Reflections On The Bestselling Series, And More, Much More by Jan Karon
The Daughter Of Time by Josephine Tey
Z For Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien (all used, the first 9 were bought at a church rummage sale, and the last 2 were bought during a day trip to Kennett Square, PA)

22. Allegiant by Veronica Roth (526 p.)
I thought the first 100 or so pages of this one was excellent, when Tris, Tobias and others had to get out of their warring city, but once they got out and realized what was on the outside and what the purpose of their existence was, I completely lost interest. In fact, I was bored throughout most of it. And I couldn't believe the ending! That's really how it ended? I think maybe the first book (Divergent) was the best, this was my least favorite.

23. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim (263 p.)
Delightfully charming story about four women who leave dreary, rainy England to spend a month in sunny, warm Italy. I didn't like some of the characters at first, but by the end you feel as if they're old friends.

24. Z For Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien (249 p.)
Fan-freaking-tastic. A girl thinks she's the only one left in the world after a nuclear holocaust...and then a man in a hazmat suit shows up in the valley where she lives. The tension in this one was just about unbearable and I couldn't put it down long enough to even add it to my "currently reading" queue. The descriptions of the main character's basic survival skills also elevated the book to another level for me, as I love reading about that kind of stuff. Easily one of the best books I've read so far this year.

>68 LibraryLover23: Whelp, you got me with another one - I love disaster books! Wishlisted.

>69 scaifea: I love disaster books too. And survival tales and mysteries... The fact that this one had elements of all three made me love it all the more. I hope you like it too!

25. Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King (459 p.)
Excellent collection of short stories by the master. There wasn't a dud in the bunch, although I think my favorite was the title story, about a young man who gets recruited into a shadowy organization that kills people. A great collection overall.

26. A Cold Day For Murder by Dana Stabenow (Kindle)
Enjoyable start to a mystery series that takes place in Alaska. The main character, Kate Shugak, has to track down two people lost in the Alaskan bush. While it wasn't very fast-paced, I liked seeing the interactions between the different characters, and the setting is almost a character in itself.

#26 looks like a good book! You peaked my interest when you said that the setting is almost like another character! Another for the wishlist.

>73 cal8769: As of a few days ago it was available for free on the Kindle, although I think maybe you have a Nook? It might be available for free on that platform too, I'm not sure, but either way it's worth checking out!

Thanks! I have the Kindle app on my Nook so I get the best of both worlds.

>75 cal8769: Cool!

27. Confederates In The Attic: Dispatches From The Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz (406 p.)
As a journalist, Tony Horwitz spent years reporting on events overseas. After he returned home, he decided to reexamine his boyhood love of the Civil War, which led him on a tour of the South, interviewing people about the lasting effects of the war and how it still resonates today. At times sobering, and at others laugh-out-loud funny, this reminded me of Bill Bryson at his best. There were too many favorite parts for me to list, although the chapters on the oldest living Confederate widow (who was still around in the 1990's!) and the one called the Civil Wargasm (about touring as many historical sites as possible in a short amount of time) comes to mind.

April Books Read
22. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
23. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
24. Z For Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
25. Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King
26. A Cold Day For Murder by Dana Stabenow
27. Confederates In The Attic: Dispatches From The Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz

April Books Acquired
Gluten Free, Hassle Free, Second Edition: A Simple, Sane, Dietitian-Approved Program For Eating Your Way Back to Health by Marlisa Brown (won through LT’s Early Reviewers)

The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
Little House In The Ozarks: The Rediscovered Writings by Laura Ingalls Wilder
"I Remember Laura": Laura Ingalls Wilder edited by Stephen W. Hines (these 3 came from a “free” pile, I was driving home one day and someone had tables of books out on their front lawn with a “free” sign, so I snagged these.)

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest Of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure The World by Tracy Kidder
The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor (these two were snagged from yet another free pile in a different neighborhood)

Tyler Florence Family Meal: Bringing People Together Never Tasted Better by Tyler Florence (a gift)
Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals Get Togethers by Rachael Ray (a gift)
The Supremes At Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore (a gift)
Nicholas And Alexandra by Robert K. Massie (a gift)

The following came from a library book sale (my favorite of the year), some of them were from the “fill a bag” part of the sale, altogether I spent $13.50 (which works out to .50 per book):
Matterhorn: A Novel Of The Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes
Duma Key by Stephen King
The Dark Tower by Stephen King
Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Physick Book Of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
The Crimson Petal And The White by Michael Faber
Faithful Place by Tana French
A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron
Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
Becoming Madame Mao by Anchee Min
Prayers For Rain by Dennis Lehane
Kitty Takes A Holiday by Carrie Vaughn
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
The Little New Orleans Cookbook: Fifty-Seven Classic Creole Recipes That Will Enable Everyone To Enjoy The Special Cuisine Of New Orleans by Gwen McKee
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Wind Through The Keyhole: A Dark Tower Novel by Stephen King
Christy: The Collector’s Edition With Fan Letters And The Author's Personal Photos by Catherine Marshall
Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook And Kitchen Reader by Jan Karon
Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power Of Music by Steve Lopez
The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
The Round House by Louise Erdrich
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

28. Anne's House Of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery (230 p.)
Fifth in the Anne of Green Gables series finds Anne married and starting a family in a new town. I'm reading this series with absolutely no knowledge of what's to come so I'm enjoying them immensely. Pleasant and delightful as always.

29. From A Buick 8 by Stephen King (487 p.)
Unfortunately possessed cars don't do much for me in terms of horror, although the creatures that came out of the car were pretty creepy. The characterization was spot-on as always.

30. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (335 p.)
Not for me I'm afraid. This one was a slog, I actually skimmed the last 50 or so pages so I could get back to reading books that I enjoy. It was about a married woman who goes back to her hometown to take care of her ailing mother and ends up falling for a monk who lives in the abbey next door. At first I thought it would be an intimate character study on par with Anne Tyler, but I should've known better, no one can reach Anne's level of greatness. It's a shame because I really liked Kidd's The Secret Life Of Bees, just not this one unfortunately.

Oh darn, I loved Secret Life of Bees. I will have to pass on that one.

>82 cal8769: I know, I was expecting better. I've heard her newest one is supposed to be really good...this one just fell flat for me.

Yeah, I was unimpressed with The Mermaid's Chair as well, but her newest one, The Invention of Wings is definitely much, much better. I'd say even better than The Secret Life of Bees. :)

Oh boy! Off to add to the wishlist!

>84 jolerie: I knew I heard good things about that one, thanks for confirming it!

>85 cal8769: Me too!

31. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman (212 p.)
A girl living in England in 1290 keeps a diary for a year. It was enjoyable for the peek into 13th century life, but you have to be willing to suspend disbelief for Catherine's modern sensibilities and the neatly wrapped-up ending. But it's a kid's book so I'm a bit more forgiving.

32. The Dark Tower V: Wolves Of The Calla by Stephen King (714 p.)
Flat-out loved this one. The previous Dark Tower books were hit-or-miss for me, especially the previous one, which focused on Roland's younger years. But now that the ka-tet's all back together the action has really picked up.

On their quest for the Dark Tower, Roland, Susannah, Eddie, Jake and Oy stop in the town of Calla Bryn Sturgis, a sleepy farming community that gets attacked by wolves every 20 years or so - each time they come, children get taken. And the 20 years have just come due again... Add to this the fact that Susannah might have another personality forming, the rose back in "our world" New York needs protecting, and Roland is feeling the first twinges of arthritis, which for a gunslinger who relies on his hands means even more trouble. It ends on a pretty big cliffhanger which should lead nicely into the next book. I can't wait.

May Books Read
28. Anne's House Of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
29. From A Buick 8 by Stephen King
30. The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd
31. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
32. The Dark Tower V: Wolves Of The Calla by Stephen King

May Books Acquired
None!

Not much reading going on for me lately, life has just been too busy. One of these days I hope to find more balance and (hopefully soon) more downtime.

Oh boy, DT V sounds good. I really need to get back to these!

>90 cal8769: I hope you like it! Others in the group didn't care for it as much, so maybe take my review with a grain of salt. :)

33. The Supremes At Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore (369 p.)
I almost want to call this "chick lit" but I'm not so sure because it was written by a man. Anyway, I liked it a lot, three women who have been friends since they were teenagers deal with their struggles in adulthood. (One has a cheating husband, one has health issues, and another is dealing with multiple losses.) Funny and poignant, I'd recommend it.

34. Field Of Prey by John Sandford (392 p.)
You can't really go wrong with a Lucas Davenport novel. This is Sandford's newest in the series, although I've had no problem jumping around from book to book. The killer is identified in the first few pages (he kidnaps women and leaves his victims buried in a desolate field), but the tension in the story comes in seeing if, when and how Lucas will catch him.

35. The Dark Tower VI: Song Of Susannah by Stephen King (413 p.)
Well, I didn't like this one quite as much as the previous in the series, but only because the gang's split up again, and I think these books work best when they're all together. That being said, the ending is a doozy and it ends on another cliffhanger...a problem which I anxiously look forward to being resolved in the final book.

Just catching up on threads - nice book haul!!
I did not care for The Mermaid Chair either when I read it.

>95 jayde1599: Thanks! That's one of my favorite book sales, I look forward to it all year. The Mermaid Chair was definitely a letdown, but I'm looking forward to trying some of her other stuff.

36. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta (355 p.)
A most excellent read, about what happens to a family when two percent of the world's population vanishes without a trace. Perrotta goes deep into these flawed characters' lives, which is just the kind of immersion that I like.

37. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris (305 p.)
I'm always up for one of Harris' Southern fantasy/mystery series; this is the first in a new trilogy about the residents of (very) small-town Midnight, Texas. I liked it a lot, some of the characters featured are from Harris' other series, if you're a fan of those, you'll probably like this one as well.

June Books Read
33. The Supremes At Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore
34. Field Of Prey by John Sandford
35. The Dark Tower VI: Song Of Susannah by Stephen King
36. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
37. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

June Books Acquired
The Captive by Joyce Hansen (a gift)
Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton (used)
Watership Down by Richard Adams (used)
The Weeknight Cook: Fresh And Simple Recipes For Good Food Every Day by Brigit Binns (a gift)

I think I'm just going to have to resign myself to the fact that my reading time is slower and not as abundant as it used to be. Real life just keeps intruding!

Just catching up on threads, its been awhile between visits. I have to admit that my reading pace is also slower this year. I've taken on way too much at uni and life in general can be hectic enough as it is with work and family life. i guess all we can hope is that the books we do manage to read are good ones!

>100 NicolePatrick: I agree, Nicole! I'm glad that the books I have managed to read have been good ones. I hope that things settle down for you, and thanks for stopping by!

38. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King (845 p.)
I'm having a hard time with what I want to say about this one, but after some distance from it (I finished it a week or two ago), I can honestly say I loved it. There were definitely times when I wanted to do Roland's impatient hand gesture that means "go on, go on," but overall I was enthralled. And my guess is that fans' reaction to the ending was mixed, but I thought it was pitch-perfect. It kind of makes me want to go back to the beginning and start all over again.

39. Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich (341 p.)
There's not really a whole lot to say when you reach the twenty-first book in a series. It's the same implausible shenanigans as ever, yet I get a kick out of them every time.

40. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (508 p.)
It never ceases to amaze me how readable classics can be. Granted, I still want to go on Sparknotes and make sure I understood everything, as 19th century lingo can be a little vague, but overall I greatly enjoyed this one. It was a page-turner for sure.

41. Book Of Ages: The Life And Opinions Of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore (442 p.)
From the 19th century to the 18th, this is non-fiction about Benjamin Franklin's sister, who seemed just as intelligent as her brother, but because of the time period was relegated to the role of wife and mother. (Her husband was a bit of a deadbeat and she ended up having twelve children.) The letters between "Benny" and "Jenny" make for fascinating reading, giving a birds-eye view to the Revolutionary War period.

>103 LibraryLover23:, I totally agree with you. I always enjoy each Stephanie Plum.

and, re:104, Hardy used to be one of my favorite authors (though if he once was, isn't he always?), and it's been an age since I've read anything by him. Tess, in particular, is one that I've owned since high school and have yet to read. Perhaps I should bump it up the list?

>106 LauraBrook: Hey Laura! Yes, I say you should definitely bump it up the list. :) Especially if you're already a fan, this was the first of his I've read and I was surprised by how much I liked it.

July Books Read
38. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King
39. Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich
40. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
41. Book Of Ages: The Life And Opinions Of Jane Franklin by Jill Lepore

July Books Acquired
Nine Lives To Die by Rita Mae Brown (won through LT's Early Reviewers)

42. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (456 p.)
I got stuck with an unexpected 12+ hour layover at Chicago's O'Hare Airport so I had to buy something to read because I had stupidly packed most of my reading material in my checked luggage. *sigh* But this one perfectly fit the bill, a mystery (my favorite genre) by one of my favorite authors (J.K. Rowling). Fascinating characters (I hope there's more focus on Robin in the next book, I really liked her), plus great writing. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next for these characters whenever I get around to continuing the series.

>109 LibraryLover23:I have had The Cuckoo's Calling on my shelves for some time now. I am glad to hear you enjoyed it. I love J.K's writing style, I know I would read anything written by her, because she is just so good!

>110 NicolePatrick: I agree, she can do no wrong. I hope you like it whenever you get to it!

Occurred to me that you might be interested in the Philadelphia meetup:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/178396

43. The Last Word by Lisa Lutz (339 p.)
Most recent book in the Izzy Spellman series, about a family of San Francisco PIs who spend more time spying on each other than they do on their cases. The books are funny and zany, but like the others in the series, there are sobering, sometimes shocking moments as well.

>112 qebo: That sounds awesome, and thank you for thinking of me, but unfortunately I wouldn't be able to make it. It does seem like there's a lot of PA LibraryThing members so hopefully someday I'll make it to a meetup! Have fun!

44. The Lost Art Of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith (262 p.)
Sixth in the Isabel Dalhousie series and just as charming and gentle as the others in the series. Isabel is a Scottish philosopher who spends most of her time ruminating on the intricacies of life. Like McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books not much happens in the way of action, but there's always plenty of food for thought.

45. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King (184 p.)
Short little mystery that I zipped through pretty quickly. It's a reread for me, although I'd forgotten most of it, two newspapermen tell their new intern about an unsolved mystery. There is no real resolution to that mystery, but it works just fine for me, I was fascinated by the details all the same.

46. A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron (336 p.)
A loaner that I ended up liking more than I thought I would. It's told from a dog's perspective, and much bleaker than the Chet and Bernie series (which are other books I've read in a similar vein). There were also some rather shocking twists and turns that I didn't see coming. The people characters in the book were frustratingly one-note, but the dog's personality more than made up for it.

47. The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene (204 p.)
Enjoyable third book in the Nancy Drew series. Dated as anything but that's where these books get their charm. (I was particularly surprised when Nancy's dad got into a gunfight with the bad guy.) Charming, fun, light reading.

48. Pay Dirt by Rita Mae Brown (249 p.)
An enjoyable cozy mystery set in Virginia about a cat and dog who help their owner solve a crime. I read the first in the series a few years ago and I recently won the two newest from Early Reviewers, so I thought I had better get to this one next which falls somewhere in the middle. I like the small-town setting, the characters, and of course, the animals.

49. Up Close: John Steinbeck by Milton Meltzer (237 p.)
Interesting little biography of one of my favorite authors. Meltzer hits the highlights of Steinbeck's life and work. It's a good prelude to the 1,000+ page Benson biography of Steinbeck that I own and look forward to reading someday.

August Books Read
42. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
43. The Last Word by Lisa Lutz
44. The Lost Art Of Gratitude by Alexander McCall Smith
45. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King
46. A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
47. The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene
48. Pay Dirt by Rita Mae Brown
49. Up Close: John Steinbeck by Milton Meltzer

August Books Acquired
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (new)
Better Homes And Gardens New Cookbook (a gift)
The Litter Of The Law by Rita Mae Brown (won through LT's Early Reviewers)

It seems I have my reading mojo back somewhat. I'm trying this radical new thing where I read only one book at a time, instead of the 2, 3 or more I used to have on the go at once. It's helping me focus and really appreciate the books that I'm reading.

Yay for having your reading mojo back!

I have a 1957 edition (I think) of The Short Novels of John Steinbeck which my brother gave to me some years ago. I did start with Tortilla Flat, but I couldn't get into it. Which of his works would you reccommed reading first?

>122 NicolePatrick: Oh the possibilities! Haha, I envy you reading his stuff for the first time. I'll warn you though, his stuff can be pretty bleak but his writing is just out of this world. I'd say starting with his shorter novels is a great idea, does your book have Of Mice And Men and Cannery Row? Those are two of his best-known, although his best overall is generally thought to be The Grapes Of Wrath (my personal favorite). And then of course there's Travels With Charley, East Of Eden, The Long Valley...jeez I could go on for days! :)

50. The Prince Of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Kindle library loan)
Zafón's first novel, which is considered young adult, is just as creepy and atmospheric as the others I've read by him. Although it's understandably a bit more simplistic than his later stuff, it was still an intriguing read about a boy, his sister, their friend, and their adventures with an evil being named Mr. Cain.

51. Cell by Stephen King (355 p.)
A reread for me, about a cell phone signal that drives people insane. The few people who weren't using their phones at the time of "the Pulse" band together and try to survive. It was a pretty zippy read, the only thing I could clearly remember from the first time I read it was Tom having to leave extra food out and the door open for the cat he had to leave behind, which devastated me the first time I read it. Knowing it was coming wasn't quite as traumatic this time around thankfully. All in all a very good read.

52. The Litter Of The Law by Rita Mae Brown (271 p.)
Another enjoyable entry to the Tucker, Pewter and Mrs. Murphy series, three animals who help their owner solve crimes. This one takes place in fall, with Harry (the main character) finding a murder victim in a field, dressed as a scarecrow. The action in this one doesn't come until the very end of the book, but the fun part of this series is more about getting to spend time with these characters.

53. Stiff: The Curious Lives Of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (303 p.)
Although the subject matter of this book is not something I've thought about in much detail, Roach has a gift for making unpalatable things interesting and laugh-out-loud funny. It was definitely gruesome at times, but also eye-opening. For example, I never gave it much thought before how in cop shows and things they can always tell right away how long it's been since a person was killed, but in reality there are people who actually use cadavers to study that sort of thing. And study lots of other things as well. Apparently if you donate your body to science you can't dictate how it will be used, although you can say what you don't want it to be used for. But what really bothered me most about this book isn't what was done to cadavers (I mean, they're dead, what do they care), but I was far more disturbed about what gets done to live animals. Now that is some upsetting stuff.

I started Stiff, sometime last year and could not bring myself to finish it. When she started talking about heads, that was it. Glad I didn't get to the bit about live animals. I think that would have given me nightmares.

I loved Stiff! Roach does have a way with humor in the oddest situations. lol It was a very eye opening book.

>128 NicolePatrick: Ew, I know, the heads were the worst, and that was the chapter that had to do with animals. Things like cutting the head off a dog and attaching it to another dog to see how long they both lived... *shudders*

>129 cal8769: As gruesome as it could be she did make me laugh a lot and for that I was grateful! I've read her book about outer space too, she's a great writer I think.

Yeah, I'd say you definitely have your reading mojo back! I listened to Stiff a couple of years ago, and that somehow made it easier to handle in parts. What was hard to predict was when my windows were open and I stopped at a traffic light - I certainly got some strange looks as disturbing words/phrases were overheard by the cars nearby. :) Oops!

>131 LauraBrook: Lol! I can certainly imagine the looks you'd get if anyone overheard that one! I'm donating my copy back to the library but I'll probably sneak it in in the middle of the pile... ;)

54. Anne Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery (277 p.)
Sixth book in the Anne Of Green Gables series. Now married with six(!) children of her own, this one focuses more on the children's escapades than on Anne's everyday doings, although I enjoyed the antics of all family members very much. A nice, pleasant read.

55. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard (307 p.)
I enjoyed this one a lot, about a boy and his mother who are held hostage by an escaped convict over Labor Day weekend. The ending surprised me, but in a good way.

September Books Read
50. The Prince Of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
51. Cell by Stephen King
52. The Litter Of The Law by Rita Mae Brown
53. Stiff: The Curious Lives Of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
54. Anne Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
55. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

September Books Acquired
A Bad Day For Scandal by Sophie Littlefield (new, got it at the dollar store for a dollar)
Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson
Blindness by José Saramago
Between Shades Of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
A New Song by Jan Karon
In This Mountain by Jan Karon
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (all used, came from a library book sale for .50¢ each)
The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbø
In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
Lisey's Story by Stephen King
11/22/63 by Stephen King
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (also all used, came from a retirement home community sale. The best find was The Silkworm—looks brand new and only cost 2 bucks!)

56. A Night In The Cemetery: And Other Stories Of Crime And Suspense by Anton Chekhov (321 p.)
From all I've heard Chekhov is a great writer, I just don't think this was the best place to start with him. This edition had terrible editing and proofreading mistakes - characters' names would change spelling from one paragraph to the next, they'd be drinking wine in one sentence and then vodka in another, etc. Something might have been lost in translation as well, one story was about a guy who wanted to get rid of his dog and when his friend wouldn't take him, he said he'd bring him to the pound. The end. The stories weren't all terrible...but this definitely wasn't the book for me.

57. Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon (403 p.)
A favorite fall reread about a man who moves his family from the hustle and bustle of NYC to a quiet New England town, only to discover something sinister lurking behind the townspeople's friendly facades. This time through I was struck by how slowly the story progresses, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. On the contrary, the slow burn is what makes the big reveals all the more shocking.

58. City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare (485 p.)
YA fantasy and the first in a trilogy about a girl who learns there's a secret world of demons, vampires and werewolves, and that she's descended from a line of demon-hunters. I enjoyed this one while I was reading it but found myself reluctant to pick it up between readings, so do with that what you will. It was good, but I don't really have any desire to read the others in the series.

October Books Read
56. A Night In The Cemetery: And Other Stories Of Crime And Suspense by Anton Chekhov
57. Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon
58. City Of Bones by Cassandra Clare

October Books Acquired
The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (both used, from a library book sale)
Baker Towers by Jennifer Haigh
Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø
Broken Prey by John Sandford
Just After Sunset by Stephen King (all freebies that someone was giving away)

Another slow reading month. It didn't help that two out of the three were duds. Ah well. Onwards and upwards!

59. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny (373 p.)
Although I dearly love this series I thought this entry was a little lacking, as it was just Gamache and Beauvoir at a remote abbey investigating the death of a monk. I missed the Three Pines atmosphere, the food, and a good Ruth Zardo zinger. But the ending was a doozy (Beauvoir, what are you thinking?!) and I can't wait to get to the next entry to see what happens next.

60. The Captive by Joyce Hansen (195 p.)
Well-written historical fiction for kids told from the perspective of Kofi, a young man who was taken from his home in Africa and sold into slavery in New England. It was fast-paced and realistic without being overly graphic. I'd recommend it to kids and adults alike.

I felt the same with City of Bones, I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I am in no rush to finish the series. Hope November is a better reading month for you :)

>142 NicolePatrick: Thank you Nicole! Yeah, I was rather ho-hum about City Of Bones. I was glad to move on to something else once I finished it!

61. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology And My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill and Lisa Pulitzer (Kindle library loan)
This book hooked me in right from the beginning, a tell-all exposé about what life is really like inside the Church of Scientology. However, by the middle I thought it got bogged down with all the descriptions of tedious classes and endless acronyms. I also take any memoir like this with a grain of salt. But it did hold my interest for most of it, and I did learn more about a religion I was curious about from hearing such strange stories in the news.

62. Nine Lives To Die by Rita Mae Brown (253 p.)
Another enjoyable entry to the Mrs. Murphy series. Harry, Fair, and of course their menagerie of animals work to solve the murder mysteries of two prominent members of the community, while also contending with a decades-old missing persons case. This entry takes place in winter right before and after Christmas, which lent a wonderful, festive atmosphere to the otherwise grim proceedings. Out of the four or five books I've read in this series, I'd say this one ranks near the top.

63. The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo (304 p.)
Sixth in the Kate Burkholder series, about a small-town police chief who was raised Amish and who investigates Amish-related crimes in her hometown. Maybe not the strongest entry in the series, I think because once a big clue was revealed I guessed whodunit pretty easily, but still just as fast-paced and, at times, gripping as the others.

64. Christmas With Anne And Other Holiday Stories by L.M. Montgomery (214 p.)
A collection of Christmas stories, two of which are from the "Anne" books, the first being "Matthew Insists on Puffed Sleeves." Don't you just love Matthew? Anyway, most of the stories were about down-on-their-luck people getting what they need at Christmas, or families and friends resolving long-standing feuds just in time for the holidays. I really liked all of them, and I'm looking forward to rereading this one whenever the Christmas spirit strikes me.

November Books Read
59. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
60. The Captive by Joyce Hansen
61. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology And My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill and Lisa Pulitzer
62. Nine Lives To Die by Rita Mae Brown
63. The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo
64. Christmas With Anne And Other Holiday Stories by L.M. Montgomery

November Books Acquired
None!

65. The Miracle At Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith (214 p.)
Ninth in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series finds Mma Ramotswe trying to help a woman uncover her birth family, Mma Makutsi accidentally leaving a new bed out in the rain, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wanting to find a way to help Motholeli walk again. Just like the others in the series it's a gentle, fun read.

66. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (341 p.)
Mysteries are my favorite genre and I always enjoy a good cozy. This one also worked well for this time of year with its Christmas theme - all the townspeople are stuck at a holiday banquet while a blizzard rages outside. When someone is found dead in the parking lot it becomes a locked-room mystery, as no one had a chance to arrive or escape. The denouement was pretty laughable as the "bad guy" just announced that s/he did it, but as my first foray into this series I thought it was a fun, seasonally-appropriate read. And I'm intrigued by the recipes in the back!

67. Lisey's Story by Stephen King (513 p.)
I was reluctant to start this one, something about it just didn't sound very appealing to me, but I needn't have worried, I ended up enjoying it very much. Lisey, the widow of a famous writer, has to confront her husband's childhood demons in order to finally put him to rest. A little slow-going at first but by the end I was hooked.

68. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (80 p.)
Squeezing in some holiday favorites, this is a classic children's story about the worst kids in the world teaching the townspeople a lesson about the meaning of Christmas when they take over the annual pageant.

69. A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder (139 p.)
Another holiday favorite, this is a collection of the Little House Christmas chapters. Pretty much a given annual read for me.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Happy Christmas!

>154 cal8769:, >155 scaifea: Thank you both! Merry Christmas to you too!

A belated Merry Christmas to you, and a wish for a stupendous 2015!

>157 LauraBrook: Thank you Laura! I wish you and yours a happy, healthy New Year. :)

70. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff (394 p.)
Fascinating look at a woman I knew next to nothing about. A lot of what is known about the last Egyptian queen has been wildly inflated over the years, but Schiff does a good job of separating fact from fiction, based on what little evidence there is. Overall I enjoyed it very much.

December Books Read
65. The Miracle At Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
66. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
67. Lisey's Story by Stephen King
68. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
69. A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories by Laura Ingalls Wilder
70. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

December Books Acquired
The Wind Through The Keyhole by Stephen King (a nice, new, shiny copy, a gift)
More About Boy: Roald Dahl's Tales From Childhood by Roald Dahl (a gift)
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
Get More Done In Less Time-- And Get On With The Good Stuff by Donna Otto (both used)

And that finishes the year for me! I've moved on to the 2015 challenge. You can find me here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/185542