CMBohn 11/11 Challenge, part 2!

Ready to go again!

TEA PARTY - Group Reads/Book Club



1. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand* by Helen Simonson, LT group read, 5 stars
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Big Book Club, 3.5 stars
3. The Problem of Pain* by C. S. Lewis, Little Book Club, 2 stars
4. Sense and Sensibility* by Jane Austen, Little Book Club, 4 stars
5. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, GD Book Club, 4 stars
6. Three Cups of Tea* by Greg Mortenson, Little Book Club, 3.5 stars
7. I Am a Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson, 3.5 stars
8. My Antonia by Willa Cather, 5 stars

KID'S MENU - YA Fantasy COMPLETE!



1. Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan, 3.5
2. The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, 3 stars
3. Downsiders by Neal Shusterman, 3.5 stars
4. Snow: A Retelling by Tracy Lynn, 3.5 stars
5. Lost Island of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar, 2.5 stars
6. Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey, 5 stars
7. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, 5 stars
8. The Gates by John Connolly, 5 stars
9. Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner, 4 stars
10. Slathbog's Gold by M L Forman, 4.5 stars
11. Wearing the Cape by Marion G. Harmon, 5 stars
12. Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, 4 stars

BACKYARD BBQ - 50 States Challenge

1. The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin, 3.5 stars
2. The Colony: Exiles of Molokai by John Tayman, 3.5 stars
3. How to Wash a Cat* by Rebecca M. Hale, 2 stars
4. Prairie Rose
5. Prairie Fire, both by Catherine Palmer
6. Still Life with Murder by P. B. Ryan, 4 stars

SOUL FOOD - Southern writers and books



1. The Conjure Woman and other Tales by Charles W. Chesnutt, 4.5 stars
2. Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, 4 stars
3. American Lion by Jon Meacham, 3.5 stars
4. Texas: A Brief Account of the Origin, Progress and Present State of the Colonial Settlements of Texas* by William Harris Wharton, 3 stars
5. Murder by the Book, by Betsy Brannon Green, 4 stars
6. An Uplifting Murder* by Elaine Viets, 3 stars
7. Huckleberry Finished* by Livia J. Washburn, 2 stars
8. A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck, 4 stars
9. As the Crow Dies by Ken Casper, 4.5 stars

NAVAJO TACOS - Western writers and books



1. The Trouble with Princesses by Christie Harris, 2.5 stars
2. A Crack in the Edge of the World by Simon Winchester, 3.5 stars
3. Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson, 3 stars
4. Letters of a Woman Homesteader*, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart, 5 stars
5. The Barbary Plague: The Black Death in Victorian San Francisco by Marilyn Chase, 3 stars

CHURCH SOCIAL- LDS books and Scripture



1. The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt* - 4.5 stars
2. The Tree House - Thayer - 2.5 stars
3. Hearts in Hiding by Betsy Brannon Green, 4 stars
4. A Voice of Warning - currently reading
5. Mongolia: the Circle in the Clouds by John and Nancy Hopkins, 3 stars

RED HERRINGS - Mysteries



1. The Seven Dials Mystery* by Agatha Christie, 4.5 stars
2. The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison, 4.5 stars
3. Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock, 3 stars
4. The Problem of the Green Capsule by John Dickson Carr, 2.5 stars
5. Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda, 4 stars
6. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn, 4 stars
7. Live Free or Die by Jessie Crockett, 3 stars
8. Bubba and the Dead Woman by C. L. Bevill
9. Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon by Nancy Atherton, 3.5 stars

LEFTOVERS - Next in a Series COMPLETE!



1. Matters at Mansfield by Carrie Bebris, 4 stars
2. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher, 4 stars
3. The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook, 2 stars
4. The Light Fantastic* by Terry Pratchett, 4 stars
5. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett, 4 stars
6. Mrs. Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans by Emily Brightwell, 3 stars
7. Mrs. Jeffries Holds the Trump by Emily Brightwell, 3 stars
8. Star of Sakova by Richard S. Tuttle, 4 stars
9. Graveyard Dust by Barbara Hambly, 4 stars
10. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld, 4.5 stars
11. The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle, 3.5 stars

---------------------------------

FOOD NETWORK - Cookbooks and How To

1. Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture* by Amy Riolo, 4.5 stars
2. Twinkie, Deconstructed: My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods Are Grown, Mined (Yes, Mined), and Manipulated into What America Eats by Steve Ettlinger, 3.5 stars
3. Old Havana Cookbook: Cuban Recipes in Spanish and English* 2 stars
4. High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America* by Jessica B. Harris, 4 stars
5. A Tiger in the Kitchen* by Cheryl Tan, 4 stars
6. Pickled, Potted, and Canned by Sue Shephard, 3.5 stars
7. Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery by James Lileks, 3 stars

POT LUCK - Random Surprises



1. The Stupid Crook Book by Leland Gregory, 2.5 stars
2. The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough, 4.5 stars
3. Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka, 4.5 stars
4. Lost in Shangri-La* by Mitchell Zuckoff, 4 stars
5. The Gardner Heist by Ulrich Boser, 4 stars
6. Great Souls: Six Who Changed a Century by David Aikman, 4 stars
7. Jumper by Steven Gould, 4 stars
8. Bizarre Buildings by Paul Cattermole, 3 stars
9. The Way Toys Work by Ed Sobey, 3 stars

FREE SAMPLE - Free Books for the Kindle COMPLETE!

1. King of the Khyber Rifles by Talbot Mundy, 4 stars
2. Evelina by Frances Burney, 4 stars
3. Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, 4 stars
4. Medical Error by Richard L. Mabry, 2 stars
5. Germs, Genes, and Civilization by David Clark, 3 stars
6. Tremolo: Cry of the Loon by Aaron Paul Lazar, 4 stars
7. The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs, 4 stars
8. Villette by Charlotte Bronte, 1.5 stars
9. Dear Enemy by Jean Webster, 2.5 stars
10. Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney, 2.5 stars
11. Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates by M. M. Dodge, 1.75 stars

As you can see, I've been doing a lot of reading lately. I've actually read more, but I haven't kept track of everything and not all of my books fit in here. I'm trying to escape into books. For those of you who don't know, my father passed away last month and I'm really struggling with it. Reading is my favorite escape, and I'm escaping as often as possible. I have emerged long enough to get to the library and I have a stack of my Dad's old books, mostly sci-fi and a few crumbling mysteries to read as well. I also saved some of his Tolkein books, but my kids want those, so I'm happy to pass them on.

Challenge wise, I dumped the Europe category and switched it for a Kindle category, and switched a few books around. I may or may not add review for all the books I added, but if you see one you want to ask about, go ahead and I'll tell you what I thought.

Hi Cindy, it's good to see you back again. I notice you gave 4 stars to King of the Khyber Rifles. I recently downloaded it for the Kindle so I am glad to see that you enjoyed it. I think having a category for the Kindle reads is a great idea, one I will probably copy next year!

Glad to see you back! Based on your ratings, it looks like you're really enjoying your Kindle reading. I've been meaning to read Lady Audley's Secret for a while. I have a Victorian category this year, so maybe I can fit it in before the end of the year. The Mad King sounds good, too. Maybe a bit like The Prisoner of Zenda, which I really loved. I'll have to give Edgar Rice Burroughs a try.

Just starting on King of the Khyber Rifles. Thank you for the recommendation, Cindy. So many free ebooks, it's hard to know where to start.

Yay! So good to see you again Cindy. There's a lot on here I haven't heard of, so I'll be busy browsing.

Glad to see you back here - looking forward to more great book recommendations from you.

Did you finally get everyone back to good health, or is your family still struggling with illness? I've been thinking a lot about you these past weeks.

My husband is struggling with antibiotic-resistant pneumonia, and I am dealing with some weird new symptoms - it's always something, isn't it? But life goes on! I'm trying to get some answers for us both from the doctors, but we're taking it a day at a time till then.

One day at a time is all we get. Keeping you in my prayers. I'm sure you're keeping the Kindle charged up for sitting in the doctors' waiting rooms.

Hi, Cindy! Glad to see you're back, but sorry that things are continuing to be difficult for you. Reading is a wonderful escape -- the best there is, in my opinion.

Mark of the Lion by Suzanne Arruda, Red Herrings category

Setting: Nairobi, post-WWI

I'm not sure what Agatha Christie would be writing if she were alive today, but as I read this book, I thought that this was the kind of mystery she would be reading if she were alive today. There's a strong plot, there's recognizable characters, there's a motive, and there's a well-developed setting. It moves along at a good pace, none of this sitting and introspecting for seven or eight chapters. Yes, it does set the scene, but hey, stuff is happening, like getting attacked by a hyena. That's pretty exciting stuff. And while Jade del Cameron doesn't seem to have much in common with Miss Jane Marple, she did remind me quite a bit of those plucky heroine of Miss Christie's other novels, the ones who set off for Africa or Mesopotamia, or wherever adventure takes them, and then get caught up in Exciting Events.

I liked this a lot and I'm looking forward to more in this series.

Jade del Cameron sounds intriguing. I love mysteries anyway, and if they involve travel that's even better. I'll have to check and see if my public library has this one.

@22 -- Mark of the Lion sounds good! It looks like there's a whole series...do you know if this is the first book?

This one is the first one, which is good, because I hate to start a series in the middle!

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey, Kid's menu

Yay! Loved this one! This series is a little uneven, but worth the gamble, because the ones I love are really, really good. Such a great retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I loved the magical system in this book and Aurore is a great character. So is Oswald. Loved the way his story turned out. Yay some more!

>26 cmbohn: What would you say would be the youngest age group that this would be good for? I am always looking for good books for my neices and nephews.

Ds
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Hi Cindy, regarding The Mark of the Lion I read it a couple of years ago and really liked it a lot. I went on to read the next two in the series, and they were good as well. You've reminded me that I need to get back to this series. I love books set in Africa and I particularly like this time period (the years after WW I).

Mark of the Lion sounds good, so I've ordered it from Betterworld. The only problem is that it's difficult to order just one book. The bargain bin sale makes it much better value to order four books, so I did.

touchstones are misbehaving

27 - I would say this one would be good for 12 or 13, depending on their reading level. It was totally clean and not hard to read. It's pretty short too.

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman, Kid's Menu

Themes: Family, luck, myth
Setting: Up North

I loved this story of the Norse gods. Odd is different kind of hero and I loved the way he handled the Frost Giant. The illustrations were so well done. My teenagers loved this one too - they thought it was really funny. Great time to read this one now that the Thor movie is out. He's quite different in this book! 5 stars.

The Gates by John Connolly

Themes: The End of the World
Setting: Surburbia

I really should have posted this review for this weekend, but I didn't get it done in time. Wow, let's just say if it had played out like the book, we'd (well, most of us) have been in Serious Trouble.

So much to love in this book, but I'm afraid that when I try to describe it, you'll think it just plain sounds insane. If you've read The Book of Lost Things, you're familiar enough with Connolly's work to take it on faith (so to speak) that this will be worth reading. If not, this is a weirder but more accessible place to start. See, it starts with a seance, the Large Hadron Collider, and a small boy named Samuel Johnson and his dog Boswell. Then it all goes to Hell from there. Pretty much literally.

I don't want to give more away. There are spoiler reviews out there, but I think that's enough right there to decide if this book is for you or not. It's stinking hilarious, if you have the right sense of humor. You can't be easily offended and you much enjoy the absurd, but as far as religion goes - I am a religious person and I still thought it was dang funny. I'm giving it 5 stars and I totally loved it.

I was lucky enough to hear Neil do some of Odd and the Frost Giants at a reading once. He does voices so well!

I took the other half to see Thor and I thought about this book too. I really liked how the Frost Giants were portrayed visually on screen.

Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner, Kids' Menu

Themes: freedom vs. safety, deception, war, magic, dystopia
Setting: City of Jewel

The first in a series (Just a side note - why so many series? Can't we ever wrap things up in one book any more?) about a miserable town where children are protected from absolutely everything just in case they might hurt themselves - it's for their own good - by chaining them to an adult until their Separation Day. But Goldie steals a pair of scissors and frees herself. She escapes to the Museum. There she discovers that the city is full of secrets and trouble is heading their way. Kind of a strange book, but I'm planning to read the next one. I think kids would like it. 4 stars.

@34 -- I totally agree about all the series being published nowadays! I'd love to see a good stand-alone fantasy novel, but I'm beginning to think it's as mythical as Bigfoot.

35 - LOL!

Yikes! So behind! Maybe if I'd stop reading for a while, I could catch up, but I doubt that will ever happen! So, let's see if I can do a bunch at one go.

Slathbog's Gold by M L Forman (Local Utah author! Yay!) - Very fun adventure/fantasy for teens. Yes, it's kind of pretty much a retelling of The Hobbit, minus so much time with elves, but I really liked it all the same! Good even for young teens. Straight fantasy, no romance. I would love to read more.

Jumper by Steven Gould - Definitely NOT for young teens! I'd caution my older teens, but that's just me being an overprotective mom. Davy has an abusive father and the book pretty much opens him getting smacked around by his dad. That's important to the story, because that's what suddenly triggers Davy's first "Jump." The next jump happens when Davy is nearly gang raped after running away. After that, however, Davy gets smarter and learns to protect himself. I thought it was worth reading both for the issues it brings up and for the story itself, but I would recommend it to everyone.

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck - another story set in small town Illinois with grumpy Mrs. Dowdel. This time, she's the crazy neighbor next door and Bob is the one telling the story. The cover might make you believe this is a Christmas book, but in fact, it takes place over one year, starting right before school starts. The action really heats up around Halloween and it gets pretty hilarious around Christmas time all right. Great for reading aloud or on audio.

And I've enjoyed several picture books lately. My favorites are:

A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black - although now I've read it, I can't help thinking how funny it would be!

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds - just loved it!

George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn, Red Herrings

Themes: Mystery, secrets,
Setting: Victorian England

Lady Julia Grey's husband isn't quite dead when the book opens, but he's not getting any better. Then Nicholas Brisbane arrives and takes over, telling her that her husband has been murdered and she's a suspect. Not a great way to meet your new lover, but I suppose it could be worse. Turns out that Nicholas is right, but the body is buried and everything is tidied up before any investigating begins. The crime uncovers Victorian society at its best and worst.

I liked this book when I was reading it - I found it absorbing enough that I carried it around all day until I finished it. But when it was done, I had a curious of feeling of "That's it?" I mean, the ending is pretty dramatic, but it wasn't very satisfying. Then the more I think about the book, the more I think it was much too long for what it was, that the main characters are too good to be true, and that I don't want to bother with any more in this series. I gave it 3.5 stars when I finished, but now it feels more like 2.5 stars.

>36 cmbohn: I had no idea that Jumper was a book! I loved the concept when I saw the movie. I will have to get the books for my read the book/see the movie category.

Thanks!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Live Free or Die by Jessie Crockett

Themes: crime, romance, immigrants, prejudice
Setting: small town New Hampshire

Fun cozy set in a town so small, there's not even a fast food restaurant. Gwen is the assistant fire chief and the local string of arsons has her worried. This time, the fire claimed a victim. The town know-it-alls are happy to blame to the new immigrant family, figuring anyone who doesn't speak English must be guilty of something. Gwen's not buying it. And the hot (sorry!) state fire investigator thinks she's right.

This one was fun. It was a dollar or something for the Kindle, and I did enjoy it. Unfortunately, it looks like the only one this author has out right now. Worth a try!

Mrs. Jeffries and the Best Laid Plans and Mrs. Jeffries Holds the Trump by Emily Brightwell

Themes: crime, friendship, marriage, class, money
Setting: Victorian London

Mrs. Jeffries and her fellow servants are on the job in these two mysteries. In the first, Inspector Witherspoon has been called on to investigate the murder of a banker. There's no shortage of suspects - the real problem is planning a wedding while solving a crime.

In the second, the problem is not too many suspects, but finding any at all. The dead man had no enemies. But he had been investigating himself, trying to discover what happened to a missing friend. Witherspoon's rival at work is stirring up trouble in this one, and I was sure surprised how that ended.

I like this series, but I don't love it. Still, it was a fun escape to read these two. If you like cozies and historical mysteries, give this writer a try.

>39 cmbohn: Live Free or Die - why did I know that it was in New Hampshire before I read the setting? :-) I love the inexpensive books on Kindle. So I got it!

DS
(Bruce's' evil twin :-))

Live Free or Die - the best $.99 I've spent in a long time! Very amusing.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Yeah, not bad for a dollar!

The Barbary Plague: The Black Death in Victorian San Francisco by Marilyn Chase

Themes: medicine, science, history, race conflicts, microbes, plague, sanitation, politics
Setting: 1900-1910 San Francisco, California

Rather a disappointment. Like many others here, I was fascinated by the subject matter. An epidemic of the bubonic plague in San Francisco, right at the beginning of the 20th century? Who knew? That sounds like good stuff! But the writing didn't live up to the story. I didn't notice the flowery language that others complained of, but what bugged me what how repetitive the writing was. Some dude got sick, he had buboes, they tried to cover it up, he died, sure enough, an autopsy confirmed plague, then maybe another dude or two got sick, maybe not, then the disease went into hiding, and we waited a couple more months to see what would happen. Then what happened was a repeat, just like before. I don't doubt that this was more or less what happened, but surely there was another way to tell the story.

Still, some fascinating stuff and I'm glad I read it. Now I want to follow it up with a better story about the plague.

Shame about that; it could have been really interesting. The Plague by Camus is worth reading. It's based on an outbeak of plague in Algeria; it's more political and philosophical than medical. I also liked Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year.

I have both on my TBR list. I'm glad to know you enjoyed them. I'll have to bump them up.

Graveyard Dust by Barbara Hambly, Leftovers

Setting: 1830s New Orleans
Themes: Voodoo, murder, disease

Benjamin Janvier's sister Olympe has been arrested for murder. She's been accused of using voodoo to kill the husband of a young woman who stands to inherit a nice estate, if she's not hung first. Benjamin knows that no one else will bother to help a voodoo woman, so if he doesn't try to save his sister from hanging, her case is hopeless. But while he's investigating the darker corners of pre-Civil War New Orleans, someone has marked him for his own voodoo curse. And if that doesn't work, a knife in the back will do the trick just as well.

I really like this one. Creepy stuff going on here! Benjamin is a great character. Can't wait for the next one.

Bubba and the Dead Woman by C L Bevill, Red Herrings

Setting: small town Texas
Themes: murder, dogs, jealousy, greed, quirky Southern folks

review coming

Results of the First Impromptu Sick-in-Bed Readathon, Jun 15-18, 2011

I have been very sick and sorry for myself, but hey, what's a sick day (or three, and counting) without a stack of books? So in a way, I've been very productive! Here's the list and a brief synopsis so far, and I think that's all you'll get out of it.

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

about a little blind kitten and his adventures. Amazing stuff for cat lovers, but I also loved her account of her experiences of what she saw and did during 9/11, right there in downtown Manhattan, just blocks away from Ground Zero. Don't bother if you are not an animal person, but I gave it 5 stars.

My only other 5 star book lately, Wearing the Cape by Marion G. Harmon, was a really strong (pardon the pun) superhero teen book. Not sure if this is a series or not, but I would love to read more about Astra, aka Hope Corrigan, a teenage Breakthrough who develops super strength, super healing, and learns to fly. But as she finds out, being a Cape can require some unbearable sacrifices. No spoilers, but wow, it blew me away. Only .99 cents on the Kindle.

Also high up there, but not quite at 5 stars, Behemoth was so much fun that I really wish I had read it sooner. No, I don't, because this steampunk jaunt for adventuresome kids was just what I needed. Dylan and Alek have really developed as characters and I can't wait to read the final book. It haunted my dreams! (Of course, that might have been the painkillers.)

The rest: (not in any particular order)

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

Yeah, we're all messing up the planet and humans the bad guys. But so depressing, and not as cool as it sounded. His solutions were full of holes. Liked the pictures of the fossils though. 2.5 stars

Still Life with Murder by P B Ryan

Historical mystery set during and right after Civil War in Boston. Nell Sweeney is working as a governess for the upper crust family the Hewitts. But oldest son William, thought to have died at Andersonville, shows up right there in Boston, working as a professional gambler and under arrest for the murder of a sailor outside an opium den. First in the series. Free on the Kindle right now, and I gave it 4 stars.

Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon by Nancy Atherton

Haven't been so entranced with the latest Dimity books, but this one was good fun. Mischief and mayhem at the Ren Faire in the English village of Finch. 3.5 stars

Dear Enemy by Jean Webster

Loved, loved Daddy Long Legs, so my hopes were up for this one. Same format, with a socialite taking over as superintendent (temporary) at an orphanage in upstage New York in the late 1800s. Loved the characters, the setting, and the epistolary format, but the preaching about eugenics and insanity was upsetting. I rated it at 2.5 and because of the themes, I would not recommend it to everyone, which is a shame, because it could have been so good.

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Ben was a pampered little princess with no thought for what that really meant until her uncle the king and her mother were murdered and her father missing. Now she is in line for the throne, and she's got a lot to learn. I wanted to shake her and telling her quit being such a brat in the beginning, but I think that's the point, because the change, when it happens, is really rewarding. As much about growing up as about fantasy and fun.

__________________________________________

Right, I think that's it. I also cleaned up and culled several books from Mt. TBR because I just was really never going to read them. I think I had a few on here that I abandoned as well, but I don't remember what they were now. If I remember later, I'll add them. I'm getting choosier. Oh, just now put Plain Jane by Fern Michael down because all of the characters were morons. I gave it until page 90, and that's way too long.

If I'm better - fingers crossed - I have much to catch up on, so I'll slow down on the reading. But I have a feeling that I'll be in bed most of tomorrow too. I am on the mend, slowly, but this has been a rough week. CMB

Sorry to hear you're feeling awful Cindy. You've had a rough year.

Just got Still Life with Murder delivered to the Kindle. Love a bargain. Thank you.

You read a couple of my favorite authors during your readathon. I have enjoyed Aunt Dimity mysteries, so I'll have to try Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon.

Sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well, Cindy! But you certainly made good use of the down time. Yours is the first review that has made me think I might enjoy Homer's Odyssey (I am a cat lover), and your review of Dear Enemy reminded me that I have been meaning to read Daddy Long Legs.

I hope you're on the road to recovery!

Thanks for all the get well wishes! I'm not 100% better, but I'm MUCH better than Thursday. Between feeling so awful and trying to get the medications right, I was so dopey and miserable it was about the worst I've felt in a really long time. But I slept great last night, and that makes SUCH a huge difference. And I got my meds figured out and backed off on some of them, so my head is much clearer too. Big improvement. Now I just have to wait until I can get in for more tests, which is stressful, but I'm trying hard not to borrow trouble.

Pamelad - I love all the free and 99 cent books! It has created havoc with my TBR list, but hey, it's nice. And I'm pretty ruthless - if I start a book and it's not working, I don't finish it.

Chinquapin - This one was one of my favorites in a while. Her twins were really funny in this one.

Ivy - A big bonus for me was that Homer doesn't die! That's a spoiler, but I hope it's okay. I hate it that so many animal books get you all attached to the pet and then they die at the end. I mean, we all know our furry babies won't live forever, but I hate reading about that. So this one ended with Happily Ever After.

Sounds like you are on the road to recovery Cindy. You sure did get lots of reading done.

Glad that you're feeling better, Cindy!

>53 cmbohn: Not a spoiler for me. In fact, it makes me want to read it even more. Have you ever read The Cat Who Went to Heaven (Newbery Medal 1931)? It's a beautiful book and has some interesting information about Siddhartha (Buddha), but it upset me again when I reread it, just as it did when I was 6 or 7, and I refused to let my little granddaughter read it. (Spoiler, I guess, but what has to happen before you go to heaven?)

Continuing the Readathon!

Good News: Got more reading done!
Bad News: Because I'm still feeling pretty yucky! Not as bad as I was, but too bad to be back to my normal stuff. So I've been reading!

The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A reread, but it was fun after reading a book of Holmes-inspired short stories this year, My Sherlock Holmes: Untold Stories of the Great Detective. It has a story written from the perspective of Watson's first wife, Mary, and this book is the one where the doctor first meets her. So that made it more fun to read. The plot, though, really is full of holes. But the Holmes stories, IMO, are not notable so much as mysteries as they are for adventures, at least for the novels. Plenty of exciting stuff in here, and I could overlook the gaps. 4 stars.

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

What a difference between children's stories in Victorian time and today. The characters are just so perfect in this one, their plight so tragic, their home life so inspiring, they are so full of pluck and good old-fashioned virtue that you'd think I'd want to hurl. But I finished it anyway. Totally dated, but somehow appealing in spite of, or maybe because of that. I definitely would not want a steady diet of this, but it was a pleasant read. Unlike.....

Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates by M M Dodge

Which would only be tolerable if abridged. I liked the story of Hans and his little family, their tragedy and their determination to get through it. But then somehow we got this group of young boys who were allowed to spend a winter holiday unsupervised with plenty of money skating all over Amsterdam, having various adventures, and delivering long tedious lessons about Dutch life and history and culture to the token English boy who makes all this slightly plausible. I SOOOOOOO didn't care. If want to read Dutch history - and I wouldn't mind, actually - I will, but if I want to read about the Brinkers, and I did when I picked up the book, TELL ME THE STORY YOU STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE! Skipped to end, where of course, everything turned out happily ever after. So there.

Figgs & Phantoms by Ellen Raskin

If all you've ever read by Raskin is The Westing Game, you really should pick up some of her other books. This one is a fun place to start. Mona is a misfit in a family of misfits. Her family are former vaudeville performers now trying to settle down, but their flamboyant personalities tend to draw lots of attention. Mona just wants to be normal. The only person in her whole family who understands her is her uncle, and he's getting old and sick. Amazon has this one and several other Raskin books on sale now for really cheap. I included this one in with some presents for my husband and daughter. It was under $3 and I'm so happy with it. 4 stars.

lol! Great reviews and I hope you feel better soon. Catching up and re-starred your new thread.

The Gate and The Museum both sound like great books, I will have to check them out.

I am glad I am not the only one who was somewhat disappointed with The World WIthout Us. A good book, but dryer than I expected (I guess toppling buildings don't translate well to books :P).

We have many books in common, and I will keep your reviews in mind when I work my way up to The Five Little Peppers and Hans Brinker.

If you are in the mood for a good chapter book to read while you are down, may I suggest Watership Down? Review in my thread. :)

Sorry to hear you're still not feeling very well, but glad that you're able to continue the read-a-thon. Usually if I'm that sick all I want to do is sleep, so I'm very impressed at your ability to stay alert and concentrate so well. Hope you feel better tomorrow.

Of course I had to get Still Life with Murder! Now I want all of them!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Cindy, my new rule is that you don't have to add Kindle books to your tbr list if they cost less than $1 because they're only cbr, could be read.

I downloaded Live Free or Die and can't get past the first line: Beulah Price's body looked like a hotdog that had been on the grill too long.

Pamela - What an image, right? Yuck.

Busy with more reading. I need to get some more reviews posted. I actually ran out of library books (!) and had to dig into the TBR pile for a few days. Right now I'm trying to finish Uranium and I've got a reread of Northanger Abbey going on my Kindle.

You ran out of library books? That sounds terrible!

I actually ran out of library books (!) and had to dig into the TBR pile for a few days

TBR to the rescue! Yah!

More mini reviews (and some raves)

Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor by Willard Sterne Randall

Once a Princess by Sherwood Smith

Murder of a Real Bad Boy by Denise Swanson

A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavendar

Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud

As the Crow Dies by Ken Casper

The Princess and the Hound
The Princess and the Bear
The Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Ivie Harrison

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley

When the Mississippi Ran Backwards by Jay Feldman

Reviews coming soon for all of them!

Sorry I haven't been in here in forever! I am STILL struggling with health problems. It's been a bummer of a summer. But I'll go over these really quickly and then start a new thread soon.

Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor by Willard Sterne Randall and Once a Princess by Sherwood Smith were both disappointing and I didn't finish either. The first had WAAAAAY too much detail and the second was a style issue - just didn't care for it.

The next two were cozies and both were fun. I would recommend both. The Denise Swanson is 8th or something in the series, so don't start there, but the pizza one is the first.

About the Mette Ivie Harrison books - I should have stopped with the first book. The series went downhill until the Snowbird book and it was a real downer. Very dark and kind of ruined my enjoyment of the first book, which was quite good and an original story.

Enjoyed all the rest. May do more reviews later, but I'm running out of steam fast. I am so tired of being sick!

#65 -- I read the first of the Mette Ivie Harrison series, but couldn't get through the second. Glad to hear I'm not missing anything, I guess.

Hope you feel better soon! :)

Links to my new thread!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/122696

Please come say hi, it's way too quiet.