Jessieb30's 2011 Challenge

My very first thread. Well, except that introduction one, and that doesn't count.

Anyhow, from the creeky ol' house in Charleston I have read for 2011:

1) The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley

I just love this little series of books about an eleven year old mystery solving chemist fighting crime and her sisters in a run down english manor house. I'm not a huge reader of 'series' books, generally making it through the first one wanting more, the second one thinking it wasn't as good as the first, and the third one I might only make it halfway though. That said I loved this series so far and will be buying the 3rd installment when it comes out in late Feb. Fingers crossed that it's as good as the first two.

2) Poison In The Pen by Patricia Wentworth

Last year I got the motherlode of an audiobook gift of every Patricia Wentworth book in existence. I read (i.e. listen) to these in the car or dusting the house. Many of them are very similar, but they are something akin to hot chocolate: warm, simple, cozy and familiar.

3) .....? I'm sitting here on my kindle insomnia'd out debating what I should start next. I could just finish "The Road"... its great but so gloomtastic I sort of avoid it.

Welcome to the group, Jessie!

Looks like you have made a good start on your reading year.

Welcome!

Thanks for the welcomes :)!

Hi Jessie!
I love the idea of certain books being like hot chocolate - what a lovely was to describe cozy favorite reads!

Sooo. My #3 book ended up being Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson.

I really wanted to like this book, I know many many others here really like this book, but (sigh) I just didn't like it. The writing is solid, the feel of the book has a bit of that 1930s British golden age about it, but I just couldn't get on board. I almost put it down (like never gonna finish pile) but because I was reading on a Kindle it was gently reminding me that I was at 62% done. So I pushed on, and to be honest the second 38% was definitely better.

Next...

#6: Sorry you did not care for Major Pettigrew more. I loved it! I hope your next book is more to your taste.

Hi Alcottacre - I know, it had EVERYTHING I would think I would like in a book. The same thing happened to me with Water For Elephants.. another one of those books everyone loves and while I thought the writing was superb in that one I just kept finding out that I wasn't getting attached to any of the characters or their issues.

I wonder if its just a case of wrong book wrong time sometimes.

#8: its just a case of wrong book wrong time sometimes.

As someone who is a very moody reader, I know that that is the case at times.

So, I participated in the Read-a-thon last night. Thanks Ellie for hosting!
Though I passed out (literally with the lights one, and computer opened on my bed) I did manage to get about 5.5 hours of reading done over about an 11 hour period of time. I also finished up a few MORE books to add to my 75!

#4 Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent.
I don't understand why this isn't getting more notice. I know there's a series after this and I thought it was pretty darned good. Its listed under Christian Fiction, but I honestly don't find it to be all that one suspects of that genre. Until the last chapter or so, you barely even notice that it could be categorized this way... it is primarily about friendship, doing what is right vs what is easy, and growing up. I definitely recommend it.

#5 Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
Simple 1920s based cozy mystery. Nothing exceptional, but a nice easy peasy fun fluffy read.

#6 Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
This was a recommendation from a member here in the group and it is exactly what she said: If Dave Barry wrote a mystery featuring him as the main character this is what you'd get. Its definitely funny, sort of in a Wodehousian sort of way.

#7 A Year In Provence by Peter Mayle
This book, all 200 pages of it, actually took me awhile to get through. I actually love travel-type memoirs, but this one, to me, was just ehh. Okay.

And next up (and half read already thanks to last night), is Running With Scissors another memoir. I'm loving this!

Running With Scissors is on my tbr list. I hope to read it soon.

#10: Congratulations on a successful Readathon, Jessie!

Whisper1 - I've gotten it done now and it really is a good one. Let me know what you think! If you like it, its along the same vein of books such as Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. Both I would also highly recommend.

Stasia - Hi there! Thanks it was great. I couldn't do the most recent one but I'm looking forward to another one really soon. Hoping it will be on a non-busy weekend day. :)

I enjoy doing the Readathons. I hope you can join in another one soon too, Jessie!

Hi There

I'm compiling a list of birthdays of our group members. If you haven't done so already, would you mind stopping by this thread and posting yours.

Thanks.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/105833

So I ended up with 9 books for the month of January, which is right on track, as I tend to do about 80% of my reading in Jan, Feb, Nov and Dec.

#8 - Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
#9 - Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr

I also participated in the Feb 1/2 readathon and though I'm not quite finished, I have a good chunk of these two read as well:

#10 - The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
#11 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Glad you joined us in the Readathon, Jessie!

I just finished The Hunger Games tonight and I have to say I love this book. Love it. It is well plotted and well paced, something I think many many of the very best books struggle with. Its writing is similar in capacity to the Harry Potter series, readable by YA but not so simplistic as to be constantly reminding adults that the target audience is 12 years old. As much as I enjoy Neil Gaiman books I feel that those are completely in the world of YA. This book and the Harry Potter series are YA+.

I'll be reading the other two this year, no doubt about it, and have already recommended to my family.

#18: I loved The Hunger Games too, Jessie. I am glad to see you did as well!

#12 - A Superior Death by Nevada Barr

This is the second book in this series that I have listened to on Audiobook this year. It is narrated by Barbara Rosenblatt, which I have to recommend as an A+ audiobook reader.

These books chronicle the misadventures of a Park Ranger, Anna Pigeon, in the US National Parks service. The author, a onetime Ranger herself, I believe, realistically portrays both the life of a Ranger in the forests of the USA, and each book goes through a different national park. Of course, there's a mystery in there somewhere too.

I think this series is perfect for an audiobook setting. Not too serious, gripping enough to keep you listening for hours, and not so many names/places/complications that makes standard audiobook listening difficult. Typically I find that any book where you feel the need to go back and check character history, reread passages so that the current action makes sense, etc, is NOT a good audiobook listen.

Hi Jessie, I just read through your thread and I have added Fireflies In December and Running With Scissors to my wishlist. I have had the Nevada Barr series on my wishlist for some time, just haven't gotten around to picking up the first book and giving it a try. You reviews are making me want to take the plunge!

DeltaQueen50 -

I love your moniker... its making me think I need to rename myself. I was quite boring when I joined LT because I didn't even know these forum 'talks' existed!

I wish someone WOULD read Fireflies in December. I really really enjoyed it, and I want someone else to read it and give me their opinion!

Running With Scissors is just plain ol' good (and screwed up), and the Nevada Barr series is making me want to become a park ranger in my second life. If you are an audiobook user I do highly recommend this, and any series with Barbara Rosenblatt as a reader. She also does Elizabeth Peters books. Anything read by Hugh Frasier is also top notch. A lot of times, I'm starting to feel, the audio reader can make or break a book in that format.

#20: Barbara Rosenblatt is the narrator who got me hooked on audiobooks. I think she is just fantastic! I am happy to see someone else who appreciates her talents.

That's funny that you like my on-line name - I always wish that I had chosen something more bookish!! But please, call me Judy.

Now I have to run and check if my library has the Nevada Barr series in audio so I can experience Barbara Rosenblatt as well.

I am having one of those weeks where I am getting not-very-much reading done. I don't know what my problem is - I don't even have an excuse save for that garden mania has taken me over and I keep surfing the web for new antique roses!

That said, I plan on doing tomorrow's readathon hosted by elliepotten :)! I have 3 books started but not complete, and I am hoping that at least 2 out of 3 are put to bed. More tomorrow.

I participated in a readathon in January and it really did push my reading along. I would suggest however that you have something light or humorous in reserve for that late, late time when you really need to read something to keep you awake. If you read YA, it's a good idea to have one in reserve.

Enjoy your readathon, I'll try to drop by and root for everyone.

Hi Jessie! Just dropping by to say hi before the read-a-thon tonight. I'm so glad you enjoyed Running with Scissors - it was one of my favourite books that year. Messed up but just... genius!

>26 DeltaQueen50: Great advice! I'm reading pretty much all YA this time I think, to get some shipped out to the shop in time for half term, but it's definitely important to have something light ready for those late hours. And the more absorbing, the better!

Well thanks to this weeks readathon I got through 90% of my next two books and was able to polish both of them off yesterday.

#13 A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
#14 Belle Ruin by Martha Grimes

These books are VERY similar and I read them together on purpose. Belle Ruin actually came out 6 years ago but the new book Fadeaway Girl came out this month.

Both of these books have a protagonist that is a preteen girl, slightly precocious (well very precocious in Flavia's case) and has lost a parent. Both girls are lonely, though not completely aware of this, and both are suffering from benign neglect from their families due to circumstances. Both families have come down in the world, in a time before the child can remember. The similarities are eerie. The tones of the books couldn't be more different.

In the Flavia de Luce series the tone is light and comic. She's a real wiz kid with a smarty attitude. Emma Graham is bit more lost, and seeking. That series of book is atmospheric with a long sigh on the wistful note. It is very interesting how the authors have created two very different feels from what could be a story consideration of the very same character!

I love them both. Personally, overall the Emma Graham series is a slight bit better, in my humble opinion. It is actually very well written. However, it absolutely suffers from the fact that you absolutely, ABSOLUTELY need to read the series in order, and nearing the same time so you don't forget details. Without doing so it loses its luster. Hence why I'm reading Belle Ruin again, 6 years later. I almost felt like I should have read the whole series again. The Flavia de Luce series is episodic enough that you can read this current novel without feeling frustrated that you have no idea what the author is referring to. The Flavia de Luce series also is very well 'timed' as far as the plot goes, there are very little vast descriptive passages that lose some readers.

These are not young adult books, despite the narrator ages. (11, and 12 respectively) Particularly the Emma Graham Series, Belle Ruin, the writing and issues that are alluded to would likely be missed by a reader who hasn't lived some adult life. The novel is character and atmospherically driven, and I also wouldn't recommend it for someone who wants an action packed page turner.

ps. one additional note to readers: The Emma Graham series by Martha Grimes in NOTHING like her normal British crime novels that are her usual fare. To be expecting such would create a very disappointing situation for the reader.

I'm off to start reading Fadeaway Girl!

It's been years since I gave up on the Richard Jury series and I didn't know she had another series. I will have to give the Emma Graham series a closer look.

Edited to add: I just checked my library and they have all the Emma Graham books so I have added them to my wishlist.

I never got beyond Hotel Paradise in the Emma Graham series and it has been so long since I read that one that I no longer remember what the book was about. I will have to get back to the series. Thanks for the reminder, Jessie.

Congratulations on a successful Readathon!

Checking in... I really must keep up to date over here, you're reading some brilliant books this year!

Hi Ellie, thanks! I am struggling again this week... where I live we have had really beautiful springlike weather for the past 10 days or so, and while it might be pretty much here to stay, those first couple of weeks its hard to concentrate on anything other than being outside!!!

Well February wasn't the reading smorgasbord it was supposed to be because the weather here in Charleston was ridiculously nice and I couldn't keep myself focused on anything other than the garden.

Sigh, anyhow even though I haven't pick up a book in a week (gasp) I have a few more to report. Both of which are in the 'eh' category. I had a good run there..

#15 Ill Wind by Nevada Barr

I am listening to this series on audiobook and it has a fabulous narrator as I've mentioned. This third installment was definitely not up to the standard of the previous two. The storyline and mystery were just not well conceived. The character of Anna Pigeon however does continue to flesh out and this character will have me reading this series again at some point. However, time to pick a new audiobook series to start on. (I get bored like clockwork by most book 3s too)

#16 The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White

I read this book because it is set here in my beloved city and well, you just have to!!!

The premise of the story is a local Charleston girl with some "I can see dead people" powers. Unfortunately everything after that didn't help the book. First, it is written as if the writer needed to "namedrop" places to prove that she indeed knew the city, and was a true Charlestonian. On more than several occasions, actual restaurants or neighborhoods were dropped in idly with no reason other than to say them (they weren't part of the plot and did nothing to illuminate the reader - if you didn't live here it would be absolutely wasted words). I hate it when authors do this. First it will eventually date the book badly, and second, don't put a rifle above the mantle in the first act unless you plan on using it by the end!! Its just poor writing. There are so many ways to evoke the feel of a place like Charleston without having to name drop. South of Broad by Pat Conroy (supposedly) did this as well and it was...pathetic. I'll eat my keyboard if he actually wrote this book. (But thats another story)

Anyhow lets talk about the 'romantic' thing going on in this book. To begin, I'll warn you that I tend to hate romance books (the cheesy kind). This book is the second in the series of "oh I refuse to admit I'm so attracted to him and I keep treating him like trash stuff, yet he keeps persevering." The 40 year old protagonist has the mental/romantic mindset of a 13 year old and I'm not exaggerating. This entire segment of the book (which occupies a good 1/3rd of the written words) is absolutely childish and preposterous. No adult relationship, no adults period would act or think this way. I'm pretty sure the average 13 year old actually has a better grasp on the romantic concept.

So, all in, I have to say I hated it.

Dang. I was thinking about reading The Girl on Legare Street. Sounds like I should skip it.

Sandy K

Sandy, its a pass. There are other area authors that have light reading books in the category which do a much better job. Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank is one that comes to mind. And for the gothic southern feel, I don't think you can beat Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

I've read Sullivan's Island and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and enjoyed both! I am from Ohio but for some reason I love books set in the South, especially the coastal areas.

I've got South of Broad on the old TBR pile--now I'm scared, lol!

Sandy K

Haha, no that one is better, it just suffers from a few annoying things, plus if you are expecting a Pat Conroy book, like his others Prince of Tides,etc, it is disappointing. It is certainly not awful though.

I definitely agree with you on books set in the South, and I live here!! I will put my thinking cap on, but in the meantime, I can recommend Charleston by Alexandra Ripley with reservations. It is out of print I think but findable, and it will definitely get you into the feeling of the post Civil War here. Its not the best written book in the world, but for an epic but easy read set here, you might like it.

Others that you probably have read but I'll list anyhow, are The Help and the Divine Secrets of the Ya ya sisterhood. Also Fireflies in December which I reviewed in this thread I would definitely recommend.

On the more literary side I can also recommend Waiting For April by Scott Morris.

Thanks for the recommendations! I've only read The Water Is Wide by Conroy, so maybe I will read South of Broad before The Prince of Tides. I've seen the film version of that many years ago, as well as the film of The Great Santini, and I liked both films very much.

I have read The Help(one of my absolute fave reads last year) and all of Rebecca Wells' books. I will look for Charleston--I don't mind reading stuff that is entertaining but not great Literature. I will look for the Morris book,too. The Cleveland library system is absolutely FANTASTIC and I can get anything sent to my local branch.

Have you read any Anne Rivers Siddons? I like her books very much.

Sandy K

Oh, well it has happened early this year, the warm weather has come and I can't get my head out of the garden during my free time. Plus with a surprise visit (i.e. less than 1 days notice) by my Mom and sister, I have done very little reading. I'm thinking until October, I'm probably back to 3-4 books a month.

That said,

#17 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. How I never came to read this until now I'll never know, but I love it.

and matching this, from the YA selection

#18 The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (Book 1). This is Jane Eyre mixed with Tarzan. So far it's lovely, and particularly so on Audiobook!

Finally,

#19 Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear.

I don't know what I was expecting but it was definitely not this book! Okay, maybe I was expecting something along the lines of Dorothy Sayers, but what I found was a book that explores the everlasting price of a war on a person's body and soul. Some pretty deep stuff for a book about a post WWI female private eye! This is definitely a worthwhile read and nothing else like what I have read with this type of mystery solving sleuth character. Much more serious and thought provoking than most genre series writing. A definite thumbs up, but you should be aware that this isn't a locked room type of whodunit.

Hi Jessie, I also loved Maisie Dobbs (I read it years ago) and I agree there's more to this than the average detective. I also read Jane Eyre last week and also really enjoyed it. It was a reread after I had read it in my teens but this time, as I'm older, I got more out of it.

Hey there JustJoey4 - yes it was quite a surprise to me. I would definitely think this was a book better suited for those who have lived (and lost) a little.

#20 A Manhattan Ghost Story by T.M. Wright

I am on a roll here.. this book, same as the last one, was a complete departure from normal expectations. The book bears practically no resemblance to a standard ghost story and contains none of the standard ghost story devises. Lots in there is disturbing, but nothing really 'spooky'. The Manhattan part of the book is one of the typical NYC types that you normally read. The gritty, hard, dimly lit street scape type. This Maltese Falcon archetype mixed with the modern paranormal experience is definitely something I haven't read before.

It has been a couple of days since I've finished it, and I'm still not too sure how I feel about it. I think thats a good thing.

I am way behind on threads, Jessie. Hopefully I can stick with you the rest of the year though!

>44 alcottacre: I'm way behind on reading :)! I appreciate your stopping by whenever you can.

That I will do!

Well, I've finally put a dent into some reading.

#21 Just After Sunset: Stories by Stephen King

I listened to this collection of short stories while I was redoing the wainscotting in the bathroom prior to a couple of guests arriving for the week.

Some of the stories were decent, some not so good, and nothing that really grabbed me. Its possible that the short story just didn't work on the audiobook format, but that seems counterintuitive to me. Whatever the case it was a meh. I will say I did like Steven King's afterward where he explained what he was thinking about that brought about the creative process on each of the stories. That is always interesting to me.

#22 The Code of The Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

This book is very similar to many of his other in the Bertie and Jeeves series. Not my favorite by far (that would have to be Thank You Jeeves but, its so ridiculous that the story lines still make me laugh out loud. In this adventure, Bertie is the houseguest of a man who is sure he is a professional thief, his aunt wants him to steal a cow creamer (ridiculous, I know), and of course everyone else should be getting married but keeps mucking it up.

#23 Through The Wall by Patricia Wentworth

Ah, its been awhile since I revisited the Miss Silver series. She is the utter definition of golden aged cozy, this side of Agatha Christie, and everything about these books makes me all nostalgic to live a between the wars British life. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, I would definitely recommend a read through one of these. This was a good one too (some are better than others, of course).

Here we have a young heiress who, practical minded and fair, has just been told that a long lost uncle has bequeathed her every cent, including the a house full of his lop-on relations. Splitting the house and moving in makes murder a necessity it seems, just as it always does!

#24 Fadeaway Girl Martha Grimes

I mentioned a few entries back that I was rereading the prior book in this series because the comings and goings of the characters, places and circumstances in this book warrant it...

and I must say, as excited as I was that this series had a new chapter, it has become a behemoth. The story of Emma Graham continues a minute from where it left of, however, the book itself now has to spend so much time walking the fine line between reminding the reader of certain events (because trust me, even if you read all 4 books straight, there are now so many things to recall in this neverending saga, you still need reminding), and forging ahead with trying to tie up some of the loose ends previously created. Grimes has left way too many loose ends hanging by the time this book rolled around that the story is fractured and lacking the qualities that make a book good in and of itself, which in any series should still be a priority.

Unlike many series books which have a pat ending to each book, this book still does not tie everything up. With that, an entire towns worth of characters and still a mystery to be solved in book #5, I'm not sure the charm that existed in the first 3 books can carry through beyond the morass of details sure to be forgot before the next entry. Even in this book the charm and nostalgia and childhood worries that made Emma come to life have been left behind. I hate to say it, but read the first three, I loved them, but the 4th adds very little. Its a skip.

Hi Jessie. Thanks for posting on my thread, I thought I should come and look you up. I love P. G. Wodehouse although I haven't read The Code of the Woosters.

I will take a note of Thank You Jeeves. Want to read more Wodehouse. Read Right Ho, Jeeves earlier this year and laughed a lot. A very funny novel about Jeeves and his disastrous attempts of matchmaking.

>49 souloftherose: hey thanks! The code of the woosters isn't my favorite, but they are all funny.

>50 ctpress: Hi there. Thank You, Jeeves IS my absolutely favorite. I've read Right Ho as well, also a good one. I find it amazing that these things are so funny given that they were written 'in the moment' during the time period he was making fun of.

Another one down here, I am definitely on a roll

#25 Zero At The Bone by Elizabeth Ferrars.

This book could have absolutely been written by Agatha Christie. I was totally shocked and delighted, and ended up reading it in less than 48 hours. If you, like me, have read every Agatha Christie book (twice!) then take a look at this author, and this book to keep you comfy in that nice golden agey way.

#47: I have a couple of the Patricia Wentworth books here but have never read them. I will have to dig them out. Thanks for the reminder, Jessie.

#53: I have never heard of Elizabeth Ferrars. I will have to give her a try.

Congratulations on hitting 25 books!

>54 alcottacre: I had never heard of her either, I was amazed. She came to me by way of a recommendation. I am reading a second one now, which I'm not *as* into, I think because it was written later in the 70s, but its still pretty good. I'm going to definitely investigate some of the earlier books though. They aren't that easy to find, unfortunately.

Hi Jessie, since I am another lover of Agatha Christie's I will definitely be on the lookout for Elizabeth Ferrars. I have also yet to read any Patricia Wentworth, but she looks very interesting as well.

>56 DeltaQueen50: This all came about for me (the hunt for Christie write-alikes) when I decided to read every single one of her's in 2009. :) Fun, but then I realized there would never be a new one....

I definitely can absolutely recommend the Zero At The Bone. I can't say on any others yet.

A few more have been finished. I have been sort of morassed in the light reading catagory here, which tends to leave me wanting something more substantial yet, I can't seem to get motivated to a big book. :) So, i'm sticking with the light stuff for now:

#26 Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

This book is different in some ways to your typical golden aged mystery... mainly because it was written only a few years ago. Gone is most of the outdated slang and other oddities commonly found in writings more contemporary to the period, but what is left is still that cozy formula of country houses, murder, strong but danger prone heroines and many people with much to much money than they know what to do with.

In this book, the protagonist is a young woman of marriageable age in the 1930s who is #34 in line for the throne, making her a royal, though so far down the line that she gets only the responsibilities of a royal, and none of the money. The Queen and the rest of her family is trying to get her married off to a good match while she (Georgie) is just trying not to starve to death in her fancy city townhouse. When her blundering brother arrives and shortly thereafter a dead body in the bath, Georgie takes on the task of trying to clear her family name, while not getting murdered herself.

This was fun, not very deep and not in the A+ category of this genre, however, I will probably read the next in the series, so thats a vote of confidence there.

I thought pretty much the same way as you about Her Royal Spyness. I will probably get to the next in the series one of these days.

I like Bowen's books - just fun, nothing too deep :)

I've been doing some dirty little secret series reading lately, having read in less than a week 3 books of Charlaine Harris's early series, about Shakespeare, Arkansas.

#27 Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris
#28 Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris
#29 Shakespeare's Christmas by Charlaine Harris

Charlaine Harris, for those of you who have been under a rock for the past decade, is the writer of the now famous (infamous) vampire series with heroine Sookie Stokehouse, which has now become an HBO series TrueBlood.

This Shakespeare series isn't paranormal, and so far, I can say, keeps it a little less ridiculous throughout the first three books. I only made it through the first two Sookie Stokehouses, because while the first was compelling, the second digestible, the third was starting to get too bizarrely unbelievable and ridiculous by the minute. This series doesn't suffer from that. Shakespeare's heroine, Lily Bard, is a rape and torture survivor who has escaped the glare of publicity and close contact in small town Arkansas life, where she has been living a solitary life as a maid.

I do feel like Charlaine Harris's protagonists are very similar and though they might be a housecleaner, a barmaid, a librarian, or a ghosthunter, they all speak with the same voice. They are all outsiders, and don't quite fit with everyone else, and loners, they are all finding how strong a woman they can be, and for some reason they all seem to be happy to have sex when they are close to mortally wounded! Really, and perhaps unfortunately, they are interchangeable.

Personally, I think she always overdoes the sexual escapades in her books to the almost unbelievable, and this series is no different. The heroines also get seriously injured every five minutes and seem to be back in action with no ill effects 2 chapters later.

All that said, it is still fun and compelling for the bit of magic that the author is able to impart in whatever she writes. I see it as guilty pleasure reading.

We all need guilty pleasures now and again. :) Mine are zombie books.

Judy - you must have been sooo pleased when all those Pride and Prejudice and Zombie type books came about! Zombies. What a funny 'love'!

Guilty pleasure reading is something we all need, I think!

I participated in last weeks readathon, and then promptly went to my cabin in the woods (without internet) for the week. For the readathon I started and finished a book!

#30 La's Orchestra Saves The World by Alexander McCall Smith

I don't know about all of you, but I enjoyed this book much more than I do his famous Precious Ratmotswe series. Maybe its because I have spent time in Botswana and I find the entire thing unrepresentative or something.... I'm not sure.

Anyhow, this book follows in the footsteps of a good many books which try to capture the feeling and sacrifice of the homefront during WWII. However, this book isn't explicit, and frankly isn't as sad or dark as many. Indeed the entire sense of the book portrays word by word the loneliness and acceptance of fate of the main character, without the character having to say so. Subtle.

Bottom line is, I liked it.

With my plane and car travel time I was also able to complete the Patricia Wentworth audiobooks,
#31 Out Of The Past and
#32 The Girl In The Cellar.

The first is pretty decent Miss Silver fare and I recommend with the rest, the second, The Girl In The Cellar is one of the very few Miss Silver novels I would not recommend. The story is told from the point of view of a victim who has lost her memory, and I have to say the entire plot is not well thought out, with too many characters and not enough depth to pull off the motivations. It's a skip.

It is going to be very weird when I run out of these Miss Silver Audiobooks. (gasp). Its been nearly 2 years since I got them, and I am getting closer and closer to finished :(.

Congratulations on a successful readathon, Jessie!

It has been so hot out here that I've resorted to reading about nice cool snowy places, and you know, it works!!

#33 A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

This book is second in the series set in a small village outside of Montreal in French speaking Canada. It is Christmas time and the world is snowy and the villagers are drinking hot toddies in front of a fire and staring out of frosty edged mullioned windows at a scene covered in white. Life continues on this way even after the newest local was bizarrely murdered at the Boxing Day curling match. Nobody seemed to care.

Louise Penny is entertaining and has a way with characterization which makes you want to meet the characters in her fictional village of Three Pines. The francophone touches to the characters lend a charm and uniqueness that works so well to offset the familiarity of the cozy police inspector storyline. This is a well written series and I would recommend starting with the first, Still Life, but that said, if you had to start with this book it wouldn't be a horrible loss.

A fantastic escape from my sauna world, I want to visit immediately!

I love Louise Penny, and a cool escape sounds good to me too right about now!

I love the Three Pines series too, Jessie, and am very much looking forward to the new one coming out in August.

>68 catherinehender:, 69 You know, I think I actually like the second book better, which is very rare. I think I might have to interrupt my previously scheduled program and go and get the third book. Though I'm slowly getting used to this weather in the 90s I still could use some charming village life. AND I always love it when I pick up a new series and the author has conveniently decided to write one more book just in time for me. :)

#34 Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

Lets face it, I wanted to be Princess Leia when I was a little kid. The problem was, Carrie Fisher didn't... she was already so many things by the time she got to the Leia part she just couldn't take it. Plus she married a rock star, a gay man, had another gay man die in her bed, and finally went through electro shock therapy to get herself to this point of writing her witty account of her life and times thus far, realizing, only she can't really distinguish, that her life was never normal. Her moviestar mother, on more than one occasion, for instance, was apt to call up other majorly famous moviestars to save her daughter from imminent death from LSD. Has Cary Grant ever called you and told you to stop it with the acid? Yeah, me either, and thats why this is a fun read.

While its easy to believe that Carrie Fisher is the woman from Postcards from the Edge, it is definitely difficult to believe, after getting to know her even a little, that she could have ever listened to the Force....

ps. 3 more books before the end of the month and I'll be right on schedule for my 75! :)

Great review of the Carrie Fisher book. I am going to add it to my wishlist. I have always enjoyed her when I've seen her interviewed on TV.

Congratulations on being on track for the challenge!

#70: I liked the second book in the series more than the first too. I thought the first book in the series was the weakest.

#35 The Scapegoat by Daphne Du Maurier

A chance meeting allows for a chance to live in someone else's shoes, and more importantly an ability to slip out of the bonds of your own life. This is the premise of this classic, but lesser known Du Maurier tale.

For me, Daphne Du Maurier is one of the absolute best of the classic early to mid 20th century writers. Her words roll off the pages and she can capture you in a tale that is nearly unbelievable without a blink. This story is not much at all like her famous Rebecca, but the writing is, and the excellence of the craft is. I loved this book. I will probably, over time, read every single book she ever wrote.

#35: Finished Rebecca recently and loved it. Also want to read more Maurier. The Scapegoat sounds interesting. I'll look for it.

Whoop...finishing off two in one day. :)

#36 Firestorm by Nevada Barr

I have returned my audiobook listening back to the park ranger series featuring Anna Pigeon. In this book, Anna has volunteered to be an EMS officer fighting a major wildfire in California. Unlike any of her previous books, due to circumstances of when the murder happens, the book functions like a locked room mystery. Everyone who could have done it has been stranded by a firestorm up on the mountain, and there is many days before a possible rescue.

This is a classic mystery format done well. This book tops the last two in my mind and as always, the "Reader" Barbara Rosenblatt, can make any book come to life right before your eyes, despite that you might be sitting in traffic.

#37 Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

I read this YA book about a week or so ago and just realized that I hadn't added it to my thread. This is a nearly stereotypical vampire novel from the past decade or so. I'd classify the writing as many times better than the Twilight Series, but not up to par with Charlaine Harris's Sookie series. It definitely has a noticeable teen bend, with the protagonist spending a good amount of 'thought' time thinking things that only a teen would concern themselves with. Still, for a quick no brains read, it delivers some fun vampire hours.

And this marks the halfway point to my 75! I'm thinking I might even get myself ahead here.

Adding The Scapegoat to the BlackHole. More Du Maurier is always a good thing!

Congrats on reaching the halfway point of the challenge, Jessie!

>78 alcottacre: to the black hole. hahah. No kidding right.

#74 Thanks for the review of The Scapegoat. I've never even read Rebecca, I'm ashamed to say, but I do now own a copy at last and look forward to trying others of hers when I've read the most famous one.

>80 gennyt: Gennyt - you absolutely need to crack into Rebecca! I had the same story as you, I had it FOREVER, and just kept putting it down. Well, after about hmmmm 15 pages I was hooked.

#38 An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor

I have to start by saying that this book took me nearly a year to finish, for reasons unknown. I think I read it over three separate days, many months apart.

The premise of the book is following the happenings of a newly minted doctor in going off for his first ever job which happens to be in very rural Ireland, during the 1970s. So, as you can imagine, it has a touch of All Creatures Great and Small about it. The book is overwhelmingly atmospheric, and the characters are very alive and interesting.

On the downside there is no decernable plot whatever, at all. Not even a slow one, unless you want to count, man finds new job, man does his new job. Really thats it. NOTHING ELSE in the way of action occurs, its more of a ramble of meeting the people about the town of Ballybucklebo and how quirky they are.

Frankly, as long as you aren't expecting anything to happen, its like joining a conversation at an Irish pub. Exactly like that. Warm and fuzzy with lots of music and beer and every personage a character in their own right. You feel slightly in a better mood when you leave than when you got there.

#39 The Listening Eye by Patricia Wentworth

Another audiobook listen from the cozy Mrs Wentworth. Absolutely nothing terribly standout about this one, the plot revolves around the death of a deaf woman who had an extraordinary lipreading ability, and our Hero with knitting needles, Miss Silver, believes she 'overheard' the wrong conversation across a crowded gallery room. More murders ensue....

In other news, I haven't posted here in awhile, but its not that I haven't been reading... its that I'm mired in The Historian... this is taking me forever! So its not quite time to add it to the list, given that my Kindle says I'm only 21% done. This is one of those times that had I picked up the heft of the actual book I'd have realized that this was a winter by the fire with hot coco read, not a lazy days of summer read. Its interesting enough, so my fingers are crossed that one of these days I'll finish it.

Well, 21% is something, right? Almost a quarter of the way through!

I've read a couple of the Irish Doctor books and I do find them agreeable reads, but you are right they are not much on plot. They are the perfect books for pickup up and reading a chapter and then putting them back down again for a few days.

Good luck with The Historian I remember it being very hefty, but I really enjoyed it.

Hi Jessie, is everything OK with you?

Haha yes! I started a new job and a bit overwhelmed, but I'll be back :) Thanks for checking in! I have about 10 books to add to my list too.

Hi Jessie, looking forward to seeing what you have been reading lately.

Okay, just a quick catchup.... I started a new job and have been forever behind for the past 2 months. I have managed to read quite a bit, but I'm not keeping threads updated.

Here's the list of books completed since um I got mired in the Historian (which I loved, just a long book!),

#40: The Pretty Pink Shroud
#41: Drowned Rat
#42: Murder Moves In
#43: Double Deadly

all by Elizabeth Ferrars, whose writing reminds me very much at times of Agatha Christie. These are all set in English Villages, and of this crowd, The Pretty Pink Shroud is the winner, with Murder Moves In one to skip.

#44 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This is a tome of a book, but it was a great vampire book. Lots of atmosphere and gloominess so wonderfully suited to the history of Vlad Dracula. Highly recommend it, as this is not your twilight type of vampire story.

#45 Mud, Muck and Dead Things, by Ann Granger. A modern British police procedural. Its the beginning of the series so there are some character introductions and random stuff in the storyline which didn't hold up on its own, but I suspect will be more meaningful farther down the series. Still, the writing is pretty good. I will eventually get to the next one.

#46 Ladies Bane and
#47 Danger Point by my perennial read while reading another book author Patricia Wentworth. I don't know what I'm going to do when I run out of these audiobooks. And there are but a few more!!!! :(

#48 A Cotswold Killing and
#49 A Cotswold Ordeal by new to me author Rebecca Tope. These are reasonably well written cozies in the Cotswolds, and the author uses the setting to make a very atmospheric backdrop. I am definitely wanting to go check out each of these small villages she writes about. I even pulled them up on Google Earth. haha. The premise is that this newly widowed woman has decided to take up the occupation of housesitting to get away from her old life. Easy alibis and murder ensue....

So anyhow, seeing as I have like 26 dang book to go to make the 75 its looking a bit sketchy for me unless I start reading some more right NOW! Which I plan on doing. I pass some work related board exams on Tuesday and I will once again return to reading normal things that I enjoy at a much faster rate. Plus the holidays are about here and that always inspires me.

Hopefully I'll be back by here again shortly!
Jess

Well, an extremely exciting (but busy) last quarter of the year derailed me, so I'm going to be stuck at 53 for this year, possibly 54... dang. But I'm going to sign up again this year!