A better year in 2012: Dejah_Thoris' 75 and more

My 75 Book Challenge for 2012

Greetings all!

I found LT and the 75 Book Challenge last year and was having a great time until August, when disaster in the form a near solid month of rain followed by Irene and Lee hit upstate NY where I was living. We were more fortunate than many, but it was still a huge mess.

Between the wet, our planned move to Georgia and ongoing connectivity problems when we got down here, I decided to let LT go until the New Year – which has finally arrived! I apologize to all the great LTers I was communicating with when it went soggy; I’m looking forward to reconnecting with you all.

Here’s my overly ambitious plan for 2012:

I’m participating in three Challenges. Every book I read will be listed on my 250 Book Challenge page. Each of those books may only be counted toward either the 75 Book Challenge or the 12 in 12 Challenge, but not both. I’m going to count rereads toward 75 and 12 in 12 as long as it’s been at least 5 years since I last read the book.

As a result of my no double dipping policy, most of my non-fiction, historical mysteries and new releases are going to end up over on 12 in 12. Hmm...It'll be interesting to see what's left.

Splitting my books between this Challenge and the 12in12 isn't working for me, so I'm combining them again.

My reading patterns are hugely different when I’m on LT – much more diverse and interesting. I’m glad to be back!

January and February
Edited to add 12 in 12 books 1/14/2011

January - 25 books for the month / 7 non fiction
1. Coming Home for Christmas by Carla Kelly (TIOLI #8)
2. Sweet Revenge by Andrea Penrose (TIOLI #17)
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (TIOLI #19)
4. D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods
5. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (TIOLI #14)
6. Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful by Amy Stewart (TIOLI #8)
7. Ghoul Interrupted by Victoria Laurie (TIOLI #8)
8. The Garner Files by James Garner (TIOLI #13)
9. Giant Tomatoes by Marvin H. Meisner (TIOLI #20)
10. Tricks of the Trade by Laura Anne Gilman (TIOLI #19)
11. Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland (TIOLI #8)
12. Taken by the Others by Jess Haines (TIOLI #19)
13. Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly (TIOLI #8)
14. The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff (TIOLI #2)
15. Murder in Burnt Orange by Jeanne M. Dams (TIOLI #22)
16. Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch (TIOLI #20)
17. Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy (TIOLI #20)
18. Physical Education by Maggie Barbieri (TIOLI #1)
19. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson (TIOLI #16)
20. 100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein (TIOLI #8)
21. The Alpine Winter by Mary Daheim (TIOLI #4)
22. Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz (TIOLI #8)
23. The House at Sea’s End by Elly Griffiths (TIOLI #20)
24. Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang (TIOLI #3)
25. The New Dawn for the Kissimmee River: Orlando to Okeechobee by Kayak by Doug Alderson (TIOLI #5)

February - 23 books for the month / 3 non fiction
26. Wild Wild Death by Casey Daniels (TIOLI #3)
27. The Elephant to Hollywood by Michael Caine (TIOLI #5)
28. Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst (TIOLI #1)
29. Quickstep to Murder by Ella Barrick (TIOLI #15)
30. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (TIOLI #5)
31. Zarafa: A Giraffe’s True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris by Michael Allin (TIOLI #5)
32. Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet (TIOLI #11)
33. The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKIllip (TIOLI #9)
34. The Evil That Men Do by Jeanne M. Dams (TIOLI #1)
35. More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Georgia Women by Sara Hines Martin (TIOLI #5)
36. Heir of Sea and Fire by Patricia A. McKillip (TIOLI #6)
37. Haunted Ground by Erin Hart (TIOLI #8)
38. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (TIOLI #11)
39. Frozen Thames by Helen Humphries (TIOLI #13)
40. War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (TIOLI #5)
41. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (TIOLI #5)
42. Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo (TIOLI #5)
43. Bellwether by Connie Willis (TIOLI #19)
44. A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow (TIOLI #13)
45. Harpist in the Wind by Patricia A. McKillip (TIOLI #6)
46. Austenland by Shannon Hale (TIOLI #13)
47. A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett (75, TIOLI #15)
48. A Princess of the Aerie by John Barnes (TIOLI #4)

March and April

March - 30 books for the month (plus 5 recent rereads) / 4 non fiction
49. No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie (TIOLI #8)
50. Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb (TIOLI #12)
51. Death of a Kingfisher by M.C. Beaton (TIOLI #12)
52. Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend (TIOLI #6)
53. God’s War by Kameron Hurley (TIOLI #18)
54. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James (TIOLI #1)
55. Fair Game by Patricia Briggs (TIOLI #12)
56. Choke by Kaye George (TIOLI #3)
57. Mallory’s Oracle by Carol O’Connell (TIOLI #21)
58. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (TIOLI #3)
59. Angels’ Flight by Nalini Singh (TIOLI #12)
60. Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry (TIOLI #3)
61. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (TIOLI #21)
62. The Heirloom Murders by Kathleen Ernst (TIOLI #19)
63. The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan (TIOLI #3)
64. The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan Bradley (TIOLI #19)
65. Timeless by Gail Carriger (TIOLI #12)
66. Lysistrata by Aristophanes (TIOLI #13)
67. Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie (TIOLI #15)
68. The Man Who Cast Two Shadows by Carol O’Connell (TIOLI #19)
69. Grayson by Lynn Cox (TIOLI #5)
70. Aya of Yop City by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie (TIOLI #15)
71. Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis Last Living Star of the Ziegfeld Follies by Lauren Redniss (TIOLI #5)
72. The Odd Couple (Female Version) by Neil Simon (TIOLI #6)
73. The House on Durrow Street by Galen Beckett (TIOLI #6)
74. Las Soldaderas: Women of the Mexican Revolution by Elena Poniatowska (TIOLI #5)
75. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (TIOLI #15)
76. Savannah’s Crooked Little Houses by Susan B. Johnson (TIOLI #14)
77. Dire Threads by Janet Bolin (TIOLI #6)
78. Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhry (TIOLI #21)

April

79. Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart (TIOLI #5)
80. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott (TIOLI #4)
81. Cold Touch by Leslie Parrish (TIOLI #21)
82. Back from the Undead by D.D. Barant (TIOLI #1)
83. When the Mississippi Ran Backwards: Empire, Intrigue, Murder and the New Madrid Earthquakes by Jay Feldman (TIOLI #14)
84. The Master of Heathcrest Hall by Galen Beckett (TIOLI #1)
85. Roman Blood by Steven Saylor (TIOLI #21)
86. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (TIOLI #3)

Glad to see you back with us again!

Welcome back!

Welcome back!

Thank you for the warm welcome!

It's amazing -- five days into the year and I'm already behind on reviews....

Welcome back here and to the 12 in 12 group. I'm glad you're back.

1. Coming Home for Christmas by Carla Kelly (TIOLI #8)

Toward the end of the era during which I read a lot of Regency romances I came across Carla Kelly’s work. Her focus on members of the military and less exalted (usually) members of British society was a real departure from what most authors were doing at the time. So, even as I moved on from my Regency phase, I kept an eye on her newly published works and usually bought them.

Her latest book is a collection of three Christmas short stories (Kelly has written many holiday short stories in the past) and as I have a collection of Christmas books from which I read between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, I picked it up. The first story (which I liked the least) was the tale of a British Navy doctor stranded at a Spanish fort / settlement during the Napoleonic Wars. The second focuses on his widowed daughter, nursing during the Crimean War and the third on her son, a U.S. Army doctor on his way home to Philadelphia on leave from the western Territories to be married during the Christmas holiday.

The themes will be familiar to any reader of Kelly’s work; in fact, I think they were a little too familiar for me. While well written and enjoyable, her work no longer strikes me as fresh and unusual. Nevertheless, I’m happy to have added Coming Home for Christmas to my holiday collection.

3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (TIOLI #19)

I don’t feel the need to write much about a book of which much has already been written, but I have to say that I enjoyed Catching Fire very much. When my librarian convinced me to give The Hunger Games a try (dystopian future YA is not an automatic choice for me) she warned that the second and third books weren’t quite as good as the first. So far, she’s right; Catching Fire wasn’t as good, but it was still engaging and enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading Mockingjay next.

I am glad you are enjoying The Hunger Games trilogy. I loved the first book, but like your librarian, did not feel that the following books were as good. I still enjoyed them enough to have purchased them all :)

5. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (TIOLI #14)

I started this book eagerly, looking forward to finding out what happens to Katniss and company. It wasn’t long before I was reading quickly, eager to be done with it.

I’ve thought of many things I could write in this review, but when it comes right down to it, I just don’t want to think about it anymore. Mockingjay just didn’t work for me.

>13 alcottacre:

Stasia - Well, I was enjoying the Hunger Games trilogy until I got to number three! I'm still glad I read them, but I found Mockingjay to be a downer in almost all respects. But then, I rarely like dystopian lit, so two out of three's not bad.

#15: I am a fan of dystopian lit, but I still did not care for Mockingjay overmuch.

I hope your next read is much better for you!

Welcome to the group, Dejah! Good to see you here again.

>17 ronincats:

Thank you! I'm enjoying being back, although I've mostly just been lurking on threads....

I'm not certain splitting my books between the 75 Challenge and 12 in 12 was such a good idea; anyone looking at this thread would think I haven't been reading much (and only YA and romance at that). On well -- it's just an experiment.

You can change your mind! You can use them for both!

I think you're right, Lori - I believe I will change my mind and combine them. A project for this weekend....

10. Tricks of the Trade by Laura Anne Gilman (TIOLI #19)

The first two books in Gilman’s Paranormal Scene Investigations Series (Hard Magic and Pack of Lies) were good, but not so good that I made an effort to find the author’s other series or to await with bated breath the publication of the next installment. So it came as something of a shock to me to realize about halfway through the book, how very much I was enjoying it.

I always thought that the premise of the series held promise. Bonnie Torres is part of a paranormal investigation firm, all of whose employees have psychic abilities or Talent. Talented individuals are either Council, belonging to the Cosa Nostradamus or Lonejacks, with no affiliation. Most of the human population is non-Talented (Nulls) and as for the non-humans, well that’s another issue altogether. Bonnie’s bosses saw a need for a neutral, Talented investigation firm, although not everyone agrees.

Two cases keep the PUPI (Private Paranormal Unaffiliated Investigations) agents busy: a break in and a murder. Less time is spent in this book on the dynamics between the agents than in the other books; however more print is devoted to Bonnie’s issues with her boss Benjamin Vanec. It seems Bonnie’s Talent and Ben’s are compatible to the point that they’ve triggered a rare Merge – their Talent is trying to force them together. So far, denial of the situation has been working pretty well, but not for much longer….

As always, I suggest you start with the first book in the series if you want to give it a try. It may be time for me to get the first books in her other series, one of which, the Retrievers, is set in the same universe.

BTW, I really love this cover, even if Bonnie looks a little like Buffy....

2. Sweet Revenge by Andrea Penrose (TIOLI #17)

A friend passed along to me two Lady Arianna Regency Mysteries, the first of which is Sweet Revenge. She was convinced that since I had (many years ago) read a lot of Regency romances and now read a lot of mysteries, including historical mysteries, that I’d be certain to like this one. Actually, I think I might have liked it better if I’d known nothing of the Regency Era.

The plot is ok, the writing is decent and the chocolate recipes that open each chapter look great, but these are modern mind set characters in a historical setting which I just find annoying unless the book is otherwise outstanding. I’ll give the second book in the series, The Cocoa Conspiracy, a try but I don’t think this series will be a favorite of mine.

4. D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods

What is there to say? It’s a fairly standard Stuart Woods Stone Barrington novel. Many characters from Woods’ other series like Holly Barker, President Will Lee and Teddy Fay turn up while Stone and Dino look into an apparent murder/suicide connected to the White House. In all honesty, it’s far from Woods’ best book and if you’re not already familiar with the series, it’s not worth reading. On the plus side, it reads quickly and is amusing if you’re in the right mood. Damning with faint praise, huh?

6. Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful by Amy Stewart (TIOLI #8)

In Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful Amy Stewart has drawn an entertaining and informative picture of the commercial cut flower industry. Including just enough historical background to set the stage, Stewart details the development of the industry and its modern realities in three sections: Breeding, Growing and Selling. While I don’t often buy cut flowers (I prefer to grow them myself), the gardener in me was fascinated by the Breeding and Growing sections. As an environmentalist and someone with a passing interest in the effects of globalization in Latin America, the Selling section was replete with revelations, too. This engaging book is well worth picking up and may well influence your choice the next time you say it with flowers.

7. Ghoul Interrupted by Victoria Laurie (TIOLI #8)

I liked the first few books in Laurie’s Ghost Hunters series very much: the last few, not so much. I am happy to say that with Ghoul Interrupted the series has made a turn for the better.

Still in Europe filming episodes for their ghost busting TV series, MJ and her boyfriend Heath each receive a call. Heath’s call comes over the phone, letting him know that one of his uncles is dead. MJ’s call is more esoteric, coming in the form of a dream visit from Heath’s late grandfather Sam Whitefeather, who informs her that Heath’s uncle was murdered by a Demon which intends to kill all the Whitefeathers.

MJ, Heath and Gilley, MJ’s best friend, hurry to New Mexico where they are not particularly welcome. Heath and his mother have been largely ostracized by his family for years and MJ and Gilley, as Caucasians, are not encouraged to visit the Native American Pueblo. In addition, who really wants to be told that the family is being knocked off by a Demon?

The biggest single problem I have with this series is the portrayal of Gilley, MJ’s homosexual best friend. His character is shrill, self-centered, cowardly and neurotic, although he always comes through for MJ in the end. I would be uncomfortable with this character as written, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

8. The Garner Files by James Garner and John Winokur (TIOLI #13)

James Garner and Jon Winokur have written and engaging account of Garner’s life in Hollywood and the difficult childhood that set him on the path to a life as an actor. This is no shocking expose: Garner tells no tales out of turn (although his relationship with Steve McQueen seems to have been a little odd). He shares his thoughts on golf, politics and the qualities of curmudgeons. He discusses, at length, several of his film and television projects, which I particularly enjoyed. I’m a big fan of the film “The Americanization of Emily” (based on the book of the same name by William Bradford Huie) and was delighted to learn that it was in fact his favorite movie. I also enjoyed the stories of his two risky lawsuits against the studios – and who knew the man had such a temper? The book closes with a list of his work, both TV and film, personally annotated.

I’ve never read many entertainer biographies or memoirs, but The Garner Files has encouraged me to give some others a try.

9. Giant Tomatoes by Marvin H. Meisner (TIOLI #20)

I have no actual interest in growing a competition size (5 - 7 lbs) tomato, but if anyone does, this is the book to have.

Meisner, a retired doctor, began growing giant pumpkins and segued to giant tomatoes. There are several books about the practicalities of growing 1000lb+ pumpkins, but nothing similar for tomatoes. Meisner decided to rectify this oversight and after several years of research produced Giant Tomatoes.

Giant Tomatoes serves as both a general primer on tomato growing and a guide to the specific tricks necessary to grow the misshapen, abnormally large fruits that win contests. Each section contains basic advice on a topic (soil prep, transplanting, mulching, pruning, etc.) followed by comments from growers on how they handle the matter. The grower comments are often extremely specific, allow the reader to see how s/he adapts the basic advice to meet his or her own needs.

The writing is adequate; the photos are quite good. Consider reading this book if you’re new to growing tomatoes, want to increase your total yield, desire to wow your friends and family with large tomatoes or covet the big prize at a tomato weigh off. If you’re interested learning about the folk who grow giant veggies, try Susan Warren's Backyard Giants about competitive pumpkin growers instead.

11. Sins of the Demon by Diana Rowland (pub 3 Jan, read 12 Jan) (Cat #9, TIOLI #8)

The books in the Kara Gillian series by Diana Rowland never fail to grab me. Kara is a Homicide Detective in Beaulac, Louisiana and a Demon Summoner. Over the four books of the series, Kara has become increasingly entwined with the Demon Lords – one whom she summons once a month by agreement and at least one other who is trying to summon her to the Demon Lands against her will. There also seems to be another Summoner in Beaulac causing trouble for Kara, if that weren’t enough, people Kara has reason to hate are dropping dead of questionable causes, putting her under suspicion.

While the first half of the book was a little slow, I finished the second half in one sitting. And while I don’t want to give anything away, I’ll be waiting very eagerly for the next book to be published.

12. Taken by the Others by Jess Haines (TIOLI #19)

Many people like this series a great deal, but I don’t. Shiarra Waynest is a New York City private investigator whose work and personal life has become enmeshed with that the Others: vampires, werewolves, mages, etc. I don’t feel that Haines’ world is particularly well developed (or the characters, for that matter) nor does it bring anything new or original to the urban fantasy scene.

Maybe I’m being unduly harsh – check out other reviews. But as for me, the two Others novels I’ve read are going to be my last.

13. Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly (TIOLI #8)

I generally don’t care for Evanovich’s work other than the Stephanie Plum books, so I doubt I would have ever picked up Love in a Nutshell if my new librarian hadn’t held it for me, remembering that I’d read Explosive Eighteen. I started reading it fully expecting to not finish it. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a genial contemporary romance, with a minor mystery, some humor and a happy ending. It never would have been published in hardback without the Evanovich name. It’s only for readers of romance.

14. The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff (TIOLI #2)

Huff has created a wonderful world in The Enchantment Emporium and The Wild Ways – I love the Gale women and their abilities. Charlie, a wild talent and musician, is drawn into a situation in the Maritimes, involving oil drilling, Selkies and Celtic music. She also accepts responsibility for her fourteen year old cousin Jack, half Gale, half dragon prince. I find myself reluctant to explain much of the plot or the mysteries of the Gale Aunties, so I won’t try. Just read the books!

BTW, one thing I particularly admire about Huff’s work is her presentation of homosexuals, lesbians and bisexuals in all stages of relationships: singletons, couples and families with children. It’s nice to find characters whose sexual orientation is simply part of who they are, not composites of stereotypical clichés used as comic relief.

15. Murder in Burnt Orange by Jeanne M. Dams (Cat #3, TIOLI #22)

Jeanne M. Dams’ Hilda Johansson series of historical mysteries is a pleasure to read. Set in South Bend, Indiana in the early years of the 20th century, Hilda is an immigrant, first a housemaid to the Studebaker family and now the wife of a merchant (a former firefighter, who’s come up in the world) expecting her first child. Hilda has never dealt well with rules and she finds the strictures surrounding her behavior as a married woman and an expectant mother, confining. Nevertheless, Hilda sets out to solve a mystery involving train crashes and labor unrest, even though she’s rarely able to leave her home.

This isn’t the most successful of the Hilda books, but it still makes for interesting reading. I recommend the series as a whole, highly.

16. Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch (TIOLI #20)

The key to reading Koch’s Alien series is to understand that, regardless of the opinion of DAW, the publisher, it is not science fiction; it’s actually screwball comedy, high action chick lit with really gorgeous, human compatible aliens. If you accept that, they can be really fun.

Alien Proliferation opens with happily married Kitty Katt-Martini hugely pregnant. Her human/alien hybrid infant is born not too far into the book. As usual, folks are out to get the aliens and there’s a megalomaniac or two out to take over the world. This isn’t the best book in the series; the plot could have been tighter and the pacing more even. It also could have ended quite satisfactorily before the last few plot twists, one of which verged over into Frankenstein style horror.

Read it if you’ve read and like the series, but don’t start with this one.

#27: I can't imagine telling people that my hobby was growing giant tomatoes. I woudl crack up every time!

Thanks for reminding me to check for The Wild Ways at the library--they don't have it yet, but they have copies on order, so I can be the number 2 hold on it. If you like this, have you ever read The Thread that Binds the Bones by Nina Kiriki Hoffman? Definitely worth seeking out.

>34 carlym: I know what you mean -- but it's probably a great conversation starter!

>35 ronincats: I really enjoy Tonya Huff's work. I hope you like The Wild Ways, too, Roni. I've never read any Nina Kiriki Hoffman, but I'm willing to give her a try. My library system has a number of her books, but not that one. Is The Thread that Binds the Bones the best book to start with, or should I look at others?

I really like Jeanne Dams's Dorothy Martin series, but I haven't read any books in the Hilda Johansson series. I'll have to give it a try.

#24: Great, now I have 3 of Amy Stewart's books in the BlackHole. I certainly hope my local library gets at least one of them in soon!

Thanks for the recommendation!

There or A Red Heart of Memories, as each of these starts of a loose series of related books. Don't start with Catalyst--it is just plain weird. And Thresholds is the first of a new children's series.

I've not heard of Koch's series before, but it sounds right up my alley!!! On the list it goes...

>37 cbl_tn: I hope you like the Hilda books -- a lot of folks seem to prefer the Dorothy Martin series, but I actually prefer Hilda...

>38 alcottacre: I remember thinking that I needed to be on the lookout for Amy Stewart's other books after I finished Flower Confidential. Thanks for reminding me!

>39 ronincats: Thanks for the advice on Nina Kiriki Hoffman - I'm always looking for new to me authors. LT is great for that!

>40 dk_phoenix: dk_phoenix -- Koch's Alien books are sometimes idiotic and over the top, but they are fun. Enjoy!

17. Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy (TIOLI #20)

It’s a pleasure to read another in Hyzy’s White House Chef series and, happily, this time Ollie is not in fear that she’ll lose her job – her life is another issue!

Forced to work with Peter Sargeant, White House Sensitivity Director and one of her least favorite people, Ollie stumbles upon more bodies. Mayhem ensues. While trying to keep out of the investigation, Ollie can’t help but track down clues and get into more trouble. She’s also worried that her nascent relationship with Special Agent Gavin is going nowhere – and possibly never will.

This is a fun addition to an enjoyable series.

18. Physical Education by Maggie Barbieri (TIOLI #1)

When I think of Maggie Barbieri’s Murder 101 series a few things come to mind: academia, Roman Catholicism, greater New York City and the Mob. Not all the books in the series involve the Mob, but in Physical Education, the sixth in the series, the Mob connection is obvious as soon as Allison finds a body in the trunk of her car – again.

Professor Bergeron is already pretty busy, being newly wed to a NYC cop and working hard at St. Thomas College where she’s still hoping to get tenure. Her life get even busier, though, after finding the body and being persuaded to take over coaching the school’s Division III women’s basketball team. Allison still finds time to get involved in a few mysteries and to agonize over how rarely she sees her suddenly least in sight husband.

I could have done with a little less agonizing, but all in all Physical Education was a solid addition to this good, if uneven, series.

19. Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson (TIOLI #16)

I’ve been dawdling over writing this review because I know I’m not going to do this excellent book justice.

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. is the light, entertaining and completely engrossing tale of Breakfast At Tiffany’s, from the origins of Capote’s novella to its enduring success on the big screen. Wasson touches on a wide range of individuals involved in the process; Capote, Hepburn, Blake Edwards, Edith Head and Givenchy to name a few. He also details the difficulties of taking a rather scandalous book and creating a script that would pass the censors and casting a good girl as the bad girl. And while the title stretches things a bit, Wasson does make a fascinating argument for the influence of the film version of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” both on how women were represented in the movies and how women, or at least some women, thought about themselves.

It is a book well worth reading.

20. 100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein (Cat #12, TIOLI #8)

I didn’t actually expect to read 100 Unforgettable Dresses; it caught my eye at the library and I thought I might enjoy flipping through it, though I’m no fashionista. After reading Rubenstein’s introduction, my opinion hadn’t changed.

...this is a book for all fashion enthusiasts, movie buffs, music fans, celebrity watchers, backstage story snoops, gossip lovers, die-hard shoppers, and pop culture mavens….

I fall into one category of people on his list: movie buffs. Frankly, I didn’t think that would be enough keep my attention on this particular tome. But almost immediately I came across the entry for Scarlett O’Hara’s green velvet curtain dress. Not, mind you, the original from the film, but the Bob Mackie version – green velvet, gold tassels, curtain rod and all – from The Carol Burnett Show. I was hooked. I read the entire book and while I didn’t find all of the explanations for his very subjective 100 selections interesting, on the whole I enjoyed the book very much.

100 Unforgettable Dresses was an unexpected pleasure and my first real surprise of 2012.

21. The Alpine Winter by Mary Daheim (TIOLI #4)

I used to read Mary Daheim’s Alpine series years ago, but gave it up when life got so very depressing for Emma Lord. The mysteries were still good, but I couldn’t take all the grief and unhappiness that Emma was experiencing. A friend, who had also given up the series only to pick it up again in the last few years, strongly suggested that I read The Alpine Winter. I hesitated, because I prefer to read a series strictly in order, but I picked it up anyway.

I am so glad I read it. The mystery wasn’t particularly great and there were some characters I didn’t recognize and many references I didn’t get, but it was worth it just to finally see Emma and possible SPOILER Milo happy together.

Re: Daheim - I've read a few in that series and a few in her bed and breakfast series. I really didn't care that much about either series. It's possible I have one or two in a box to be read.

Re: Daheim - I wouldn't bother pulling them out of the box. I never much liked the B & B series and gave up on it even earlier than Alpine. For whatever reason, her books don't work all that well for me, although since they're still being published (and in hardcover, no less) someone likes them!

I always liked the B&B series. Not the greatest but light and fluffy fun.

otoh, I've read a couple of the Alpine series and just never got into them. Still, it's probably been 20 years since I last read an Alpine book and so I was thinking of giving them another chance. I think I left off on B or C.

Oooh, I'm adding the dresses book to my wishlist - sounds really interesting!

>49 lindapanzo: I'll look forward to your comments if you pick the Alpine series back up, Linda - maybe my memories of them are more negative than the reality. As I recall, I was well beyond B or C before I gave them up.

>50 scaifea: 100 Unforgettable Dresses was fascinating -- in places. I kept reading the entries, gobbling them up like popcorn, but some did nothing for me - I'm just not all that interested in the stories about the designers. I hope you find it a pleasure to read!

I spent 24 hours in Savannah over Friday and Saturday – I went down for my Girl Scout Council’s Annual Meeting. I have a great time walking around the downtown Savannah (beautiful weather!) before meeting some friends for dinner. I bought a book: Savannah’s Garden Plants (no touchstone?). It’s a slim book with lots of pictures, so I should get through it in February.

After dinner, we went on a ghost tour pub crawl. As our tour guide was telling us about the hauntings experience at our second stop (a grungy basement bar) I suddenly realized that she was talking about the people and events in The Wanderer: the Last American Slave Ship and the Conspiracy That Set Its Sails. I actually have The Wanderer checked out from the library, but haven’t gotten to it in January. Obviously I am intended to read this book: I’ll get to it in February.

22. Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz (TIOLI #8)

Jayne Ann Krentz is a romance writer, and no matter what name she’s using or in what genre she’s publishing, a romance is what you get. In Copper Beach, the first of the new Dark Legacy novels, Krentz uses the paranormal talent framework and storyline she’s established in many other novels. She has talent; he has talent. The get together and solve the mystery / fix the problem. Copper Beach will feel very familiar to any of Krentz’s readers, although I thought it was a little under plotted. Expect at least two more books in the series with the hero Sam’s siblings as the love interests.

Read it only if you already like her work or if you’re looking for something easy and mildly entertaining – no exertion of the brain required.

23. The House at Sea’s End by Elly Griffiths (TIOLI #20)

It seems that I like Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway series better in theory than in reality. I should like it: Great Britain, archaeology, murder – what’s not to like?

And yet, I’m never quite happy with her books. In The House at Sea’s End, seven bodies are found on an eroding beach. Bound and shot execution style, the bodies aren’t recent, but were placed there within living memory – barely. The mystery, although slow to get started, is very good. What I don’t seem to like is Ruth’s life and relationships. I don’t have a problem with her out of wedlock child or her troubled relationship with religion – any religion. I simply can’t put my finger on what bothers me.

Don’t get me wrong – it was by no means terrible; there was just something about it I didn’t like. Will I read the next one? Probably.

24. Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang (TIOLI #3)

I can’t help but feel that the title Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China is somewhat misleading. To me, the title sounds as though it should belong to an academic or scholarly book. While there are plenty of facts, numbers and economic realities in Leslie Chang’s work, it’s really not a formally structured book at all.

In some ways Factory Girls reads like an anthropological study; Chang creates a picture of internal migration in China through the tales of many women briefly and of two women at length. She then incorporates her own family history, linking her family’s migrations into Manchuria, to Taiwan and finally to the United States, to the migrations of the women she’s befriended. Her family also has an unexpected role in 20th century Chinese history; the story is fascinating.

This was not what I expected from a writer for the Wall Street Journal, but it turned out to be wonderful. I highly recommend it.

25. New Dawn for the Kissimmee River: Orlando to Okeechobee by Kayak by Doug Alderson (TIOLI #5)

New Dawn for the Kissimmee River, a slender volume published in 2009, tells the tale of an expedition down a chain of lakes and the new restored Kissimmee River in the middle of Florida, that leads to Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. This was a business trip of sorts: most participants were employees of various organizations involved in the restoration of the river (which had been channeled and dammed by the Army Corps of Engineers) or were part of the TV crew documenting the journey. Author Doug Alderson, who works for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, combines history and ecology with the stories of the trip itself, most of which he completes by kayak.

Parts of the book were completely engrossing, but others failed to hold my attention. I’ve read a lot of central Florida history and folk tales, which may account for why some of the history didn’t catch my attention. A few of the stories and writings quoted seemed of little relevance; on extended passage was downright offensive.

Read New Dawn for the Kissimmee River if you’re interested in Florida history, ecology, river restoration, the Everglades, public land acquisition, conservation easements or paddling Florida’s rivers. Otherwise, give it a pass.

Dejah, It's interesting that neither of us liked that installment of the Elly Griffiths series very much. My problem was not so much her "troubled relationship with religion" as you called it; it was more of the fact that the author seemed to be trying to proselytize to paganism. I will admit that I'm a Christian, so that went over with me about the same as the preachiness of some Christian fiction goes over with those who are not Christian. (Of course, a lot of the Christian fiction that does that is poorly written, and I think that this particular installment's writing was not up to par either.) Like you, I'll probably read the next one, if I come across it at the library. I probably won't purchase it. I think the first in series was the best, but the others have not lived up to the first one.

I agree, Lori, that the first was the best of the Ruth Galloway series. Given that it will probably be a year before the next book is out in the U.S., I'll probably end up reading it - my library system should have it.

I think I was most uncomfortable with Ruth's negativity toward the very rigid form of Fundamentalist / Evangelical Christianity attributed to Ruth's parents; Ruth seems unable to see other forms Protestantism clearly. While Ruth professes to be an atheist, I agree that Ruth (or Griffiths) favors Paganism or at least sees it as the most benign choice. Someone (I forget who) recently made a comment about Paganism being used to make connections with Ruth's work on early or pre-Christian cultures, and I think that idea may have merit.

So after all this angst about religion, she has the baby Baptized in the Catholic Church? By the priest from book 2? I know it was a gesture toward Nelson, but it was unexpected. Is this supposed to represent a crack in Ruth's atheism? I understand that Griffiths sees religion as a theme in the series, but I not crazy about how she's handling it.

26. Wild Wild Death by Casey Daniels (TIOLI #3)

I’m a big fan of Casey Daniels’ Pepper Martin series. They tend toward the light and humorous side of paranormal mysteries and are a pleasure to read.

Pepper sees and hears ghosts, and many come to her with a problem to solve. Wild Wild Death combines baseball, Native American traditions, the Southwest and a little romance for Pepper with someone who actually believes in her Gift. It was fun and entertaining reading, which has been true of pretty much every book in the series.

27. The Elephant to Hollywood by Michael Caine (TIOLI #5)

Michael Caine’s second biography, The Elephant to Hollywood, is an amusing look at his life and career, a career which he had thought was largely over when he wrote his first biography in the early 1990s. The strongest sections are about London in the 1960s and about the many movies he’s made over the years. It’s probably best suited to movie buffs.

28. Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst (TIOLI #1)

Sometimes when an author is establishing a new series, s/he is so busy setting up the background of the characters and locale that the mystery suffers. While I do think that this is true of Old World Murder, the first of Kathleen Ernst’s Chloe Ellefson Mysteries, I also believe that the series shows tremendous promise.

Set in 1982, Chloe has accepted a job at a living museum, Old World Wisconsin, near where she grew up. Chloe has been suffering from a severe depression and the move and the new job are part of her plan to get her life back on track. Chloe isn’t having a lot of fun at this point in her life and it makes for rather depressing reading at points, as she struggles with self-confidence and her backstory is slowly revealed. On the other hand, there is reason to believe that things are improving for Chloe and that future books may have a brighter outlook.

The mystery, which revolves around a missing Norwegian ale bowl, is interesting as it ties immigrant material culture into the story. Part of what I think I’ll enjoy most about this series going forward, is the promise of history related mysteries.
I’ll be reading the already published next book, The Heirloom Murders, very soon.

The Devil’s Eye by Jack McDevitt (reread, TIOLI #20) NO REVIEW

This relatively recent reread doesn’t count toward my 75, but I decided I’d add to the thread anyway. I highly recommend the Alex Benedict books by Jack McDevitt, of which The Devil’s Eye is the fourth. Give them a try!

29. Quickstep to Murder by Ella Barrick (TIOLI #15)

Quickstep to Murder is the first in a new series of Ballroom Dance Mysteries. Stacy Graysin and her ex-fiance Rafe are professional competitive ballroom dance partners as well as partners in Graysin Motion, a dance studio in Alexandria, Virginia. When Rafe ends up dead, Stacy becomes the most likely suspect.

This mystery was light and entertaining, with some pretty effective red herrings. My biggest issue was Stacy’s behavior. Several of her actions (which admittedly furthered the plot) are supposed to be indicative of how ‘impulsive’ she is. Unfortunately, they struck me less as impulsive, than as stupid. I have a low tolerance for stupidity in heroines, so I hope Stacy will be slightly less impulsive in future outings.

I have a low tolerance for stupidity in heroines, too. Ballroom dancing sounds like an interesting profession for an amateur detective, but I think I'll wait and see how you like the next one before I give it a try!

The friend who passed Quickstep to Murder on to me said she gave up when Stacy did something spectacularly stupid quite early on. She also didn't think she was going to like the Ballroom Dance aspect of things. The truth is, she doesn't much like light mysteries, so it was probably never going to work for her, anyway.

Because of the early stupid act (she runs, barefoot, into Alexandria traffic after a limo for really lame reasons -- I mean honestly, she makes her living on her feet!) I was on the lookout for idiotic behavior. We'll see what happens in the next book -- I promise to post a review!

30. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (TIOLI #5)

In Bester’s New York City of the future, it’s been 79 years since a murder has been committed. ESPERS or Peepers, individuals with the ability to read minds have made it all but impossible to commit most crimes – or at least no one gets away with it. Blatant Capitalist Ben Reich is convinced he’s being persecuted by a fellow industrialist intent on destroying his business empire. And Ben dreams every night of the Man With No Face. Ben decides he must kill his enemy, but how? And after the deed is done, how will the Peepers bring him to justice?

I’m sure that The Demolished Man was as fresh and edgy in the early 1950s as Gibson’s Neuromancer was 30 or so years later; both won the Hugo Award. The Demolished Man wears pretty well. It’s a little heavy on the psychobabble and the romantic relationship that develops is a trifle creepy for the modern reader, but some ideas he presents vision of the future he creates are fantastic. Unfortunately, some of the elements I found most interesting, like the benevolent bureaucracy of the ESPER guild or the social implications of such a powerful minority are only hinted at.

Read The Demolished Man if you’re a fan of classic science fiction - otherwise, you give it a pass

Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer (reread, TIOLI #5)

Abby, sometimes I wonder if our parents were right when they forbade us to read novels! It is all the fault of the Circulating Libraries!

Black Sheep, like many Georgette Heyer novels, is a comfort read for me. I wasn’t particularly in need of comfort, but it fit my TIOLI Ungulates Challenge, so I indulged myself.

I have definitely read this one too recently to count it toward my 75....

Georgette Heyer is one of my go-to authors for comfort reading as well.

Me too, and don't you love Miles?

Miles is great -- a perfect black sheep.

In my mind I always link Black Sheep and Lady of Quality --Bath, adult heroines, slightly shocking love interests, young girls to look after -- in many respects, they're almost the same book, but I love them both. I also really like Frederica. When I was younger, I think my favorites were Arabella and These Old Shades. And then there's The Grand Sophy and Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle and The Unknown Ajax and on and on.

I don't honestly know if I've ever read all of her romances -- I have to admit I don't care much for her mysteries or her historicals (take my word for it - don't try Simon the Coldheart. I may have to make an effort to work through the lot of them. Maybe one a month? Of course I have to confess that some of her really young heroines drive me crazy....

As usual, I'm reading much faster than I'm reviewing. Maybe tomorrow.

31. Zarafa: A Giraffe’s True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris by Michael Allin (TIOLI #5)

I generally like non fiction that begins with some quirky element of history and weaves together tale drawing on a broader range of history, geography, etc. Zarafa: A Giraffe’s True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris certainly fits into this category.

Zarafa is a giraffe given to Charles X of France on behalf of Muhammad Ali of Egypt, in part to attempt to deflect attention from Egypt joining the rest of the Ottoman Empire in attempting to conquer Greece. Author Michael Allin lovingly tells the tale of Zarafa’s journey, intertwining the history of Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt and the ensuing birth of the field of Egyptology, the story of Muhammad Ali’s rise to power in Egypt, the geography of the Nile and a host of other bits and pieces relevant information.

The story told in this slim volume makes for entertaining, but not compelling, reading. I was disappointed that there were no footnotes or endnotes or even a bibliography included with this well researched book, as I would have been interested in learning more about several of the subjects touched on. All in all it’s a pleasant, easy, non fiction read.

32. Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet (TIOLI #11)

The opening chapters of Wicked Autumn have fair amount of snarky humor, which in general is a good thing: I frequently like snarky humor. Unfortunately, much of the humor felt forced and crossed the line over into parody, which seemed misplaced in what was purported to be a cozy mystery. Happily, the attempts at humor ended around the same time as the life largely unlamented victim.

From that point on, Wicked Autumn is a very traditional British village cozy: the vicar (Max) goes about his business, talking to people, until the mystery is solved. While it suffers from the standard first in a new series problems of too much scene setting and recurring character set up, overall it’s pretty well done. The final meeting, however, in which the vicar and the cop review every piece of evidence in the case, is agonizingly long and detracts from the close of the story.

Malliet used Max’s spirituality very nicely; it will be interesting to see where she takes it. Also intriguing is Max’s developing friendship with a Pagan - a female Pagan at that. It wasn’t a great book, but it was a good one. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens to Max in the future.

33. The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia A. McKillip (TIOLI #9)

In the 1980s, I read The Riddle-Master of Hed trilogy several (ok, probably more than several) times and loved it. But for whatever reason, McKillip’s later work didn’t do much for me and I never revisited Morgon, Raederle and the High One’s Harpist. The trilogy has gotten several LT thread mentions over the last few months and I decided it was time to pick it up again.

I think I’ll reserve comment until I finish all three, but I’m happy to be reading these books again – and I’m amazed at how much is coming back to me! My thanks to all of you LTers who reminded me of this great series.

34. The Evil That Men Do by Jeanne M. Dams (TIOLI #1)

In the eleventh Dorothy Martin mystery by Jeanne M. Dams, Dorothy and her husband Alan are on a walking tour of the Cotswolds when they stumble across a body. As usual Dorothy (and Alan, for that matter) cannot resist becoming involved. Away from their regular stomping grounds, this mystery is less cozy than most in the series, but it is still well written and enjoyable.

35. More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Georgia Women by Sara Hines Martin (TIOLI #5)

I was slow to finish this short book; in fact, if it weren’t due at the library, I probably still wouldn’t be finished.

The book being part of a series about women from all (I think) the states, I should have realized that it was being written for high school students. At least that’s my guess; the author is certainly aiming for some lower common denominator. The bios of influential or otherwise significant Georgia women run around 10 – 15 pages and while the women are interesting, the writing isn’t always. There are no footnotes or endnotes (although there is an index) and the bibliography makes it clear that most of the sources used are previously published biographies; for some of the sketches, as few as four sources were consulted. I even question the inclusion of one of the women as a remarkable Georgia woman as she wasn’t born there and spent the bulk of her life elsewhere. There may be a case for her inclusion, but the author didn’t adequately make it.

For all my complaints, it’s not a bad book. The women themselves had fascinating stories and I was introduced to several women with whom I was previously unfamiliar. For the right audience, the book is probably quite successful, but I was looking for something more.

Included in More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Georgia Women are:

Mary Musgrove Bosomworth “Pocahontas of Georgia”
Sarah Freeman Clarke “Nineteenth Century Artist”
Ellen Craft “Runaway Slave”
Rebecca Latimer Felton “First Female U.S. Senator”
Mary Ellen ‘Nellie’ Peters Black “Mover and Shaker”
Juliet Gordon Lowe “America’s First Girl Scout”
Martha McChesney Berry “Miracle Lady of the Mountains
Lugenia Burns Hope “Social Activist”
Leila Ross Wilburn “Pioneer Architect”
Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey “Mother of the Blues”
Lillian Smith “Conscience of the South”
Leila Daughtry Smith “Centenarian Pediatrician”
Margaret Mitchell “Author of the World’s Favorite Novel”

Dejah - Oh my WORD! I cannot believe how fast you can read these books and get the reviews in here! I have really enjoyed following your reading and have added several to my own pile. Can't wait to see what's next.

Hey Mamie -- thanks for dropping by!

One of the greatest things about LT (for me at least) is seeing what other people are reading - I have found so many new authors by reading people's threads! I'm glad that you've found my reading interesting; I've been watching yours, too, and we definitely have some interest overlap.

Happy Valentine's Day!

36. Heir of Sea and Fire by Patricia A. McKillip (TIOLI #6)

I had forgotten that Heir of Sea and Fire was very much Raederle’s book – the women’s book – in this series. Just as Morgon is unwilling to accept his destiny in the first book, The Riddle-Master of Hed, in the second Raederle is reluctant to acknowledge her heritage.

Joined by Lyra, who Morgon met in book one and Tristan, his little sister, Raederle sets out, in the face of strong opposition, to find out what happened to Morgan. I suspect book two is an effort to balance the female role – Raederle is no longer simply waiting for Morgon but becomes an active participant in events, and by doing so comes into her own power. In book three, unless I am very much mistaken, they will move forward together. I sincerely doubt I ever thought about the male/female/united structure of the trilogy when I read it so long ago….

You have been reading a lot these last few days! I'm behind on all my threads right now because I wasn't feeling all that well over the weekend. I'm playing catch-up tonight! Zarafa is on my wish list, but your review doesn't move it up and probably pushes it down.

I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well, Lori -- I hope you're back in excellent health soon, if you aren't already.

Zarafa wasn't bad -- it just wasn't as good as I'd hoped. There are so many great books out there you've got to pass some up.

Dejah, the amazing thing is, remember, these books were written in the 70s, when fantasy trilogies were burgeoning following explosion of Tolkien's LOTR in 1967 in this country. There were lots of them--Brooks, McKiernan, Hancock, and many more, many of them of poor quality, all to cash in on the craze. And NONE of them, nary a one, break with Tolkien's tradition of the primary focus on the active males (though I do love Eowyn, but then she wasn't allowed, was she?) with the exception of McKillip in this trilogy, where she actually uses a whole book of the trilogy to consider "the girl left behind in the adventure", who refuses to be left behind and goes and has adventures of her own. Talk about a breakout idea at that time, and then to do it so well--simply amazing!

Roni, your post hits directly on my train of thought when I wrote my comments about Heir of Sea and Fire. Even though I'm posting them individually and using cover images from the books I remember owning, I'm actually reading from Riddle-Master: the Complete Trilogy which includes an introduction by McKillip. She specifically mentions the influence of LOTR, but also notes that in her wide reading she came across strong women in many mythologies and saw an opportunity there. It took her twelve years of writing and rewriting to complete the trilogy -- her results are certainly spectacular!

I doubt I gave much conscious though to how unusual Raederle's role was in the books, but I'm certain it influenced how much I loved them!

Oh, neat! I'd love to read that introduction. (I, of course, have the original books, bought as they came out.)

Dejah, had a good read of your thread - 36 books to date is impressive going. Read the original Michael Caine bio and remember enjoying it - a bot unfair to readers rewriting the whole thing and expecting us to read it all again. Old World Murder and Georgette Heyer (who doesn't like her!) are also attractive propositions.
Will pop by often for updates on your prodigious reading.

Paul --

As I hadn't read Caine's earlier bio, I wasn't bothered a bit!

I've got the follow up to Old World Murder, The Heirloom Murders sitting on the shelf -- maybe I'll get to it for Mystery March?

Thanks for the visit - compared to many of the threads, keeping an eye on mine shouldn't be demanding at all!

Charming modesty Dejah but quality over quantity anyday as I always tell SWMBO!

I've got that latest Jeanne Dams book out from the library and I'm eager to start it. But first, I want to finish my much-anticipated baseball novel, The Art of Fielding.

I'm looking forward to your review of The Art of Fielding. It's been on my radar since your TIOLI Challenge last month, but I haven't been sure I really wanted to give it a go.

It's about baseball but it isn't really, if that makes sense. Several of the main characters play on the college baseball team but that's just a part of the story. Well, so far anyway and I'm about two-thirds through.

37. Haunted Ground by Erin Hart (TIOLI #8)

I’m not entirely certain what I want to say about Haunted Ground, Erin Hart’s Anthony and Agatha Award nominated debut mystery. Set in modern day Ireland, it has two mysteries, one contemporary and one historical. Add in archaeology, music and a little romance and it’s a book I should love - but I didn’t.

The writing is excellent, although I found the pace, especially early on, a little slow. I also thought it odd that some characters kept certain information / experiences to themselves as long as they did and that the solution to the historical case came about by a series of remarkably fortuitous events, but these are fairly minor quibbles. For some reason, the book just never grabbed my attention the way I hoped.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s quite a good book, and there’s no question that I’ll be reading the follow up, Lake of Sorrows soon. Maybe I’m just in a difficult mood – who knows?

The slow pace is one of the things that lowered my rating a bit on it when I read it. I probably would have given it 4.5 or 5 stars, but that plus a couple of other things made me drop it to 4. I do, however, think I may have liked it a bit better than you did because it ultimately did grab my attention.

Hey Lori --

If I did the stars thing, I probably would have given it 3.5 or 4 - the writing really was excellent. Have you read the next one yet?

***************************

I thought I was going to get a lot of reading done yesterday (Saturday), but it certainly didn’t work out that way.

One of my kitties, Goldie, isn’t feeling well and she was being very needy / clingy. She wanted to sit in the big chair near the TV which isn’t well placed for reading, so I gave in and popped Downton Abbey Season 1 in the DVD player. I had read about DA so much here on LT that I thought I’d give it a try. I got tired of waiting for it from Netflix, so I used a coupon and ordered it, with the idea that I could always pass it on to the library.

Anyway, over 6 hours later I’d watch all of Season 1 – oh my, Edwardian England overload! I have to say I really don’t care for Lady Mary….

I have Season 2 ready to watch and that's what I am going to do, one long session of Edwardian England - I can't wait!

Tonight's episode of Downton Abbey is the last one of Season 2. I'm going to miss it.

I'm not a fan of Lady Mary, and I don't much like her mother, either. She's too easily manipulated by O'Brien.

It looks as though Netflix is going to come through with Season 2 - I believe I'll watch it at a more measured pace! I believe I read that Season 3 began shooting this month.

O'Brien and Thomas are downright nasty!

Ooohh - we love Downton Abbey! We had never heard of it before LT; isn't that ironic?! Everybody was talking about it, and then we saw that Netflix had the first season, so we started watching it, and now we are hooked. I'm excited to hear that they will be getting Season 2.

Less than 3 months until our Georgia move - excited to move, dreading the packing. Twenty-one years of marriage, four teenagers, and four dogs - how many boxes will I need for that?

The last episode of Season 2 has just started, and I've spotted a new face in the servants' hall - the actress who plays Havers on the Inspector Lynley series. I've also read that Shirley MacLaine will play Lady Grantham's mother in Series 3. Something to look forward to!

Mamie -- You're going to need many, many, many boxes! I had a bunch of cats on my move, so you have my sympathy in dealing with four dogs. Netflix has Season 2 now -- get in line! I'm hoping I get the first DVD Wednesday.

Carrie -- I heard that Shirley McClain was joining the cast - she should be a hoot! Something to look forward to, indeed.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (reread, TIOLI #19)

This was a reread for me, so I’m not writing a review or counting it toward my 75, so I’ll just say I’ve this book to be wonderful every time I’ve picked it up.

For readers of: science fiction / time travel or epidemic books

A book read is a book read in my book!

38. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (TIOLI #11)

I read this book as a teenager, but I only remembered the general storyline, not the particulars. And as any reader of Austen knows, it’s the particulars that are most important!

Seventeen year old Catherine Morland, gentleman’s daughter, is off on a visit to Bath, courtesy of her neighbors, the Allens. Sheltered Catherine, who is willing to think the best of everyone, has a great deal to learn about moving in society.
This is a charming and wonderful novel – and now is the time to read it! Lyzard is guiding SqeakyChu in a tutored read of Northanger Abbey and lurking is encouraged. Lurkers are welcome to post their own comments / questions during Liz declared Intermissions. The thread can be found here.

Roni -- Part of the idea of not counting books I've read in the past five years is to encourage me to reread a little less; I'm not sure it's working.

And it's not like I'm going to come up short on the 75 by not counting them....

39. The Frozen Thames by Helen Humphries (TIOLI #13)

The Frozen Thames is a gem of a book. Forty times has the Thames frozen and Helen Humphries has written forty beautiful vignettes, one for each. I am amazed at her ability to, in so few words, create such complete stories. They are tales of sorrow, love, courage, dignity, defiance, cold and loss, many based on documented history. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

#102 This one is going right on the TBR list.

Hi, Deja. De-lurking to say that I really enjoyed your reviews of Flower Confidential and The Garner Files, but did not find them on the review pages. Do you not post your reviews?

I've found that every year on LT, I do fewer rereads, undoubtedly due to the plethora of recommendations encountered here. I think my first year of recording, almost a third of my books were rereads. On the other hand, it may be due to being retired now and not having the stress of work and needing more comfort reads as a result. ;-)

Frozen Thames sound interesting. Not sure when I'll get around to it, but I've added it to a TBR list.

>103 lindapanzo: I hope you enjoy it, Linda - The Frozen Thames was a real delight!

>104 countrylife: Thank you for visiting and de-lurking, Cindy! I rarely add my reviews to the book pages -- I suppose I'm not certain if good enough to bother with. I've been meaning to go back and add my reviews for book that have few or none; since you've been kind enough to compliment my reviews of Flower Confidential and The Garner Files I'll make certain to post them. Thanks for motivating me!

>105 ronincats: It's certainly true for me, Roni, that the number of rereads I indulge in has a great deal to do with my mood and stress level! But when I'm on LT I find so many great things I want to read, I almost feel guilty about the rereads!

>106 thornton37814: Lori - it's definitely worth picking up. I only read a story or two at a time, so it took me several days (4 or 5?) to read what is really a very short book. Enjoy it when you get the chance!

40. War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (TIOLI #5)

Since War Horse is currently onstage in both the West End and on Broadway and the film version is on screens around the world, there probably isn’t much need for me to explicate the plot. Instead, I’ll just say that this WWI story as seen through the eyes of a horse, Joey, is simply excellent and well worth the couple of hours it will take to read it. Highly recommend for everyone, even those adults who rarely read Children’s Literature (like me).

41. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick (TIOLI #5)

I put down Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? after about 40 pages, and left it for a while. I found the future world it depicted and the people in it incredibly depressing, bereft of hope. I really wasn’t in good enough mood to get through it.
I picked it up again and finished it, and while my mood has changed for the better, my opinion has not. The book is well crafted and the ideas in it thought provoking, but I still found the whole thing miserable. I think Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is only for devotees of classic science fiction, hard core fans of the film Blade Runner, and those with a high tolerance for depressing, dystopian futures. Consider yourself warned.

If you want a great antidote, Dejay, find John Scalzi's The Android's Dream!

>110 ronincats: - I'll give The Android's Dream a try, Roni, although the reviews are really mixed. Of course, I'm almost certain to like it better that Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?! I've requested it from the library.

In case anyone is interested, the 2011 Nebula Award Nominees has been posted here.

The Best Novel Nominees are:

Among Others by Jo Walton
Embassytown by China Mieville
Firebird by Jack McDevitt
God's War by Kameron Hurley
Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti by Genevieve Valentine
The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin

Of these, I've only read Firebird, which was excellent. I think I'll also try to read God's War and The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which is the first book in the trilogy that The Kingdom of Gods concludes.

If anyone has read any of the nominees, I'd love to know what you think of them!

#108 - I completely agree with your assessment of War Horse. Morpurgo did an excellent job of showing war through Joey's eyes.

Hi Amy -- thanks for dropping by! I was really impressed by War Horse. I think now I'll have to see the movie, too....

Sheepfarmer’s Daughter by Elizabeth Moon (TIOLI #5)

This was a many times reread for me. Great book and series – give it a try, if you haven’t already!

42. Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo (TIOLI #5)

Partway through Linda Castillo’s Sworn to Silence, I wasn’t certain I was going to finish it, much less be planning to read the next one, but I ended up liking it.

The victim of a violent and disturbing experience at 14, Kate Burkholder decided not to join the Amish Church, leading to an estrangement with her family. Years later, after the death of her mother, Kate accepts the position of Chief of Police in the small Ohio town in which she grew up. Kate’s perfect for the job, as she know both the ‘English’ and Amish worlds. But when a young woman is found brutally murdered, Kate’s past is put on a collision course with her present and her secrets impinge on her ability to handle the case.

I don’t particularly enjoy reading about people with substance abuse problems and I was concerned early on that this was going to be a major issue in the book. My concern proved to be unfounded, as ended up having little to do with the story. However, the author made an effort to set up at least three characters as either already having substance abuse issues or as being at risk, so it may prove to be a bigger element of future books. We’ll see. Also, I skimmed the most brutal passages – I’m perfectly happy to not know all the details of the cruelties perpetrated on the victims.

43. Bellwether by Connie Willis (TIOLI #19)

Bellewther is a short book about many things: fads, big business bureaucracy, research, requisition forms, acronyms, competition for grants, love, chaos theory, caffeinated beverages, incompetent co-workers, sheep and the serendipity of scientific discovery. A familiarity with the poems of Robert Browning may increase your enjoyment of the book, but it isn’t necessary.

Bellwether has a limited plot; it’s more about ideas than anything else. Readers of Willis’ more popular To Say Nothing of the Dog will recognize many of her ideas about the interconnectedness of seemingly insignificant events. I can understand how someone might not like this book, but I found it very entertaining and it left me with a smile on my face.

I don’t particularly enjoy reading about people with substance abuse problems and I was concerned early on that this was going to be a major issue in the book.

I had the same thought when I listened to the audio version of Sworn to Silence last month. It doesn't make sense to put so much emphasis on it early and then drop the subject unless she plans to bring it up again in future books in the series. I ended up liking this one a lot so I plan to read at least the next book in the series. I'll see how it goes from there.

So glad you enjoyed Bellwether for the same reasons I did. I think you'll enjoy The Android's Dream as well--just don't judge it on its first chapter.

I haven't read any of the Nebula nominees, although I have The Kingdom of Gods sitting here, having read the first two in the series, so I suppose I'll get to it soon. The Walton sounds really good as well.

>117 cbl_tn: It really was odd, wasn't it? Big drug abuse build up and then - fizzle. Apparently we're to believe that John's prescription drug dependency that's put his job at risk is suddenly no longer impeding his ability to work? Plus, Kate's deputy Skip has been set up as a problem drinker, and Kate herself muses about the risks of drinking alone...you have to wonder where Castillo is going with all this.

Still, like you, I'll give the next book a shot. It's Mystery March, after all, so it'll fit right in!

>118 ronincats: Bellwether was great - and I promise to give The Android's Dream a fair shot - I rarely give up on a book after only one chapter, but I appreciate the head's up!

I just picked up The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and it looks good. I'm not so certain about the Jo Walton book - I think I'll let you read it first and see what you think.

I've had mixed success with Meiville in the past and the description of Mechanique appeals to me not at all. On the other hand, God's War sounds interesting - not a single branch in my rather extensive, nearly statewide library system has a copy, so I may have to order it. Of course, I'm supposed to be reading mysteries in March....

Went to the library to pick up Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which had just come in, and what did I see calling to me from the New Books shelves but Firebird, so I guess I'll be reading that as well. I really liked the first book in the series, skipped the second as it had mixed reviews, and went straight to the 3rd for a book group read, which I thought was somewhat formulaic. It will be interesting to see what he is doing with the characters later in the series here.

Looking over the review here on LT, I seem to like the Alex Benedict series more than most readers - although the Nebula Awards nominators seem to like his work, too, since Polaris, Seeker, Echo and Firebird all have been nominated.

One thing that fascinates me about the series is that the first book, which was from 1989 I think, was narrated by Alex. When he started writing the series again (I think Polaris was published in 2004, so 15 years later) he chose to use Chase as the narrator. That switch has always struck me as kind of cool.

I think I enjoy the mystery / research aspect combined with the SF - it hits a number of my interests. At any rate, I hope you enjoy Firebird (I read it when it came out last year) - I've got Echo on my shelf for a reread....

44. A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow (TIOLI #13)

A Darkly Hidden Truth is the second of Donna Fletcher Crow’s Monastery Murders series. Felicity, currently an Ordinand at a theological college in Yorkshire, has decided she wants to become an Anglican nun. When Father Antony, a lecturer in Church History with whom she worked closely to solve a murder in the first Monastery Murder novel A Very Private Grave, is asked to look into the disappearance of an important icon he asks Felicity to help him. She declines. Nevertheless, the two are quickly caught up in the search for several missing religious art works and, eventually, a murderer.

Donna Fletcher Crow writes both Christian Fiction and Non Fiction, and her tremendous knowledge of history is readily apparent in A Darkly Hidden Truth. It’s filled with fascinating information from Roman Catholic and Anglican Church history, visits to important religious spots and interesting discussions of Anglican sisterhoods. And while I didn’t care for the imagined scenes from the life Julien of Norwich, she herself was fascinating and I appreciated that the fictional scenes presented were clearly stated to be speculative. Unfortunately, the mystery in this story is frankly secondary to the history and the travelogue. Readers primarily looking for a cozy mystery will probably be disappointed, but those who have a strong interest in the religious aspects of the tale probably won’t mind.

The single biggest problem I had with A Darkly Hidden Truth was the main character, Felicity. She’s idiotically impulsive, rather flaky and presented as shockingly ignorant for someone who’s spent eight months at a theological seminary. I know it’s just a device to deliver information to the reader, but I found it impossible to believe that any theological student in England, particularly a woman, would be so unfamiliar with Julien of Norwich. While I found Felicity less annoying as the novel progressed, I never really warmed to her; I don’t know what Father Antony sees in her.

A very belated welcome back Dejah. I missed you towards the end of last year - glad to hear things in RL are a bit smoother now.

Interesting to read your comments on your books to date. On the Nebula nominations, I enjoyed Hundred Thousand Kingdoms but haven't got round to the sequels yet. They're not available at the library so I think I'm going to buy them but other books keep popping up. I have Embassytown so I'm hoping to read that soon. Among Others I've had wishlisted for ages and I'm just waiting for the paperback release.

>124 souloftherose:

Thanks for the welcome - and I'm glad you dropped by.

I seem to be the only person who feels slightly iffy about Among Others - I'm not certain what about the description is putting me off, but I'm hoping that after the rest of you read and review it I'll feel more like picking it up. So far, I've heard only positive things about Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - maybe I'll get to it this month if I burn out on mysteries!

I'm thrilled that Among Others is nominated... honestly, the whole book is like a love letter to sci-fi/fantasy novels. It's beautiful and compelling and strange and ethereal and... well, just read it. :) There are a number of quotations from the book that spoke directly to me -- things about books being more interesting than people, and so forth. I think the main character is someone that many 75ers could relate to...

Well that's a glowing comment that I can't ignore! I guess I'm going to have to read Among Others sooner rather than later. With all this buzz, it sounds as though it's got a good shot at the Nebula - Embassytown is the only other book from the nominees that seems to elicit a positive (and strong) reaction.

Thanks for adding you opinion!

45. Harpist in the Wind by Patricia A. McKillip (TIOLI #6)

In the introduction to Riddle-Master: the Complete Trilogy Patricia A. McKillip wrote:

I can’t say, though I’ve been asked, that the Riddle-Master trilogy was the work I’ve cherished most, or that it is closest to my heart. It certainly was then; but this is not then, this is now. It is, and will always be, closest to my childhood’s heart, the heart of whoever that you woman was who wrote those novels. She taught me magic, and the love of storytelling, which are two things that so not die unless you let them.

There was a time when I adored the Riddle-Master trilogy and it was wonderful to read it again. I feel a little like McKillip, though – it didn’t touch me in the same way it did when I was a teenager. I do remember how it felt and how caught up emotionally I was, particularly in the third book Harpist in the Wind. If you haven’t read these books, give them a try – if they’re old friends you haven’t visited in a while, well, I found it worthwhile to make so time for them. I hope anyone who tries them enjoys them as much as I have.

46. Austenland by Shannon Hale (TIOLI #13)

Jane Hayes is obsessed with Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice fame – particularly as portrayed by Colin Firth. Jane’s wealthy great aunt leaves her an all-expenses paid trip to Pembrook Park in England, where she can spend three weeks living her dream of a Jane Austen penned life. Maybe after the trip, Jane will be able to get on with her real life – or perhaps not.

This is a very light, mildly entertaining chick lit novel for the fans of the inimitable Jane Austen. The use of inimitable is deliberate: no one can match Jane Austen, including Shannon Hale. That said, fans will find Austenland fun and enjoy noting bits and pieces from different novels. Save this one for when you want a light, easy, short read that requires very little of the reader and has a happy ending.

47. A Crafty Killing by Lorraine Bartlett (TIOLI #15)

In A Crafty Killing, Lorraine Bartlett has a very promising first book for her Victoria Square Mystery series.

Katie inherited a part ownership in Artisan’s Alley from her estranged, late husband Chad, who’d invested their money in the venture without her consent. She wants nothing to do with the converted apple warehouse turned artist retail space, but when Chad’s partner is murdered, Katie has little choice but to pick up the reigns of the financially troubled business if she wants her investment back.

Bartlett has established an interesting cast of characters to move forward with, but of even more interest to me are the possibilities for Artisan’s Alley in its role as lynchpin for the Victoria Square retail area. Mysteries need to have more going for them than the next murder, and I think Bartlett may have hit on a winning scenario. Hopefully, Walled Flower, the already released second in the series, will be even better.

47 books - I'm impressed. I found Bartlett's series promising as well.

I just put Among Others on hold from my library system.

AND I just finished Firebird, and can say that it starts slowly but builds up to a great climax and a very satisfying conclusion. I liked it as much as A Talent for War, which is to say, a great deal, and better than Polaris and Seeker. I may have to go back and read Echo after all.

> 133 If you do, Roni, I hope you enjoy it! I'm quite curious to see who wins the Nebula; the nominated books all look quite different from one another.

I'm sick -- down with some sort of crud. On the plus side, I'll probably read quite a lot. On the negative, I don't feel like writing any book reviews....

Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well, Dejah. Hope you feel better soon.

Also hope that you feel better really quickly. I hate that crud stuff.

Thanks for the good wishes! Hopefully I'll perk up soon. Right now, I'm mostly sleeping and reading....

48. A Princess of the Aerie by John Barnes (TIOLI #4)

A Princess of the Aerie, the second book in John Barnes’ Jak Jinnaka series, finds Jak a little bored with the Public Service Academy. Two years before he’d been involved in an adventure, rescuing his girlfriend, Princess Shyf, and going to school to be a secret agent isn’t as much fun as he thought it would be. When he gets a message from the Princess asking for his help, Jak sees the chance for a little action and an interesting way to fulfill his Junior Project requirement. So off to the Kingdom of Greenworld he and his friends Dujuv and Myx go only to discover that things are, as is traditional, not what they seem and that Princess Shyf isn’t (again) person Jak thought she was.

Jak doesn’t have as much fun in this book as he did in The Duke of Uranium. Friendships are strained and the realities of life as a field agent of the Hive are more painful than he expects. But Jak manages; Jak always manages.

Well, I may be sick, but at least I got my last February book review done before we got too far into March!

Hope you feel better soon!

49. No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie (Cat #9, TIOLI #8)

Deborah Crombie consistently produces engaging, entertaining, multilayered mysteries and No Mark Upon Her is no exception.

I’m still under the weather and am behind on reviews so I won’t say anything more than if you haven’t read this excellent series with Duncan Kincade and Gemma James, go back to the first book A Share in Death and be prepared to enjoy yourself.

50. Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb (pub 21 Feb, read 1 Mar) (TIOLI #12)

Anyone who’s read one of J.D. Robb’s In Death series has a pretty good idea of what to expect from a new installment. Nadine Furst, Eve’s journalist friend, wrote a bestselling book about the Icove case (the clones). Her book is being made into a movie, filmed in New York City. Eve and crew are roped into attending a dinner with the cast, director, producer, etc. and when one of the look alike cast members is murdered, Eve gets to solve the case.

In truth, I found the pacing to be a little off; at times it felt very slow. When the plot was moving, though, it was great fun.

Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon (reread, TIOLI #14)

This is a many times reread for me, so it doesn’t count toward my 75. Even though it’s my least favorite of the three, I recommend the Deed of Paskenarrion trioligy highly.

51. Death of a Kingfisher by M.C. Beaton (TIOLI #12)

I enjoy reading the Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth books. Life goes on as usual for Hamish; he loves his job as a village Constable, but can’t help but be annoyed when he’s sidelined during investigations or is belittled but those higher in rank than he, but lesser in skills. He’s made his choice, though, and he has to live with it. He also has to live (literally) with Dick, a Constable waiting out his time ‘til retirement who’s been assigned to Hamish. I rather liked Dick; I hope we see more of him.

Death of a Kingfisher actually has a more involved plot than it appears at first; there’s not much chance that a reader will work this one out in advance. It’s a solid entry in the series; it’s not my favorite, but it’s entertaining.

Oath of Gold by Elizabeth Moon (reread, TIOLI #14)

This is a great finale to the Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy. Everybody needs a paladin once in a while, right?

So are you going to go on into Oath of Fealty now? That one is available in paperback. (Do it! Do it! Do it!)

Yes, yes, yes I will! But not in March. Well, maybe not in March. We'll see.

Feeling any better, Dejah? You hit me with a couple of book bullets, so now I will crawl off to recover.

Mamie, you're too funny! I am feeling better, thanks. I got a few non reading (or LT) things done yesterday and I hope to do more today. I'm so behind on work, housekeeping, gardening, etc. It's amazing how quickly things pile up!

Glad to hear that you're feeling better, Dejah. Things do pile up.

I've gotten so distracted with other things that I haven't read too much but I do need to get cracking on our mutual mysteries.

52. Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend (TIOLI #6)

I like several paranormal mystery series and was excited to start Tempest in the Tea Leaves, a recent Agatha Award Best First Novel nominee. Things began well as Sunny, a psychic, moves from New York City to upstate New York to get away from the influence of her wealthy parents. While it was clear that Sunny was a little flaky, I found I didn’t mind as the writing was good and the story engaging.

Unfortunately, that changed. The mystery itself was solid enough (if suffering from a few unnecessary flourishes) and I liked the psychic / fortunetelling elements quite a lot. The arrival of Detective Mitch Stone on the scene, however, introduced near unceasing juvenile banter, including such sophomoric epithets as ‘Detective Grouchy Pants.’ This got old, quickly. In addition, Sunny’s behavior became increasingly erratic and risky, stretching patience and belief. A more minor complaint was the extended review of every piece of evidence halfway through the book; this would have been more useful than annoying if I hadn’t read the first half of the book, which sadly I had.

Clearly I’m in a minority in not liking this book, based on its generally positive reviews and a major award nomination. Tempest in the Tea Leaves simply didn’t work for me; I hope other readers enjoy it more than I did.

So, um...maybe not. Any ideas about when you are going to read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie? I', planning on reading that one, too. I also have in my hands my very own copy of A Share in Death - thanks to your recommendation. Now I just have to work it in somewhere! Hope you had a good Monday.

Dejah, I think I'll skip Tempest in the Tea Leaves. I don't really like psychic/fortunetelling stuff, and if that's the part of the book you liked, I probably won't like any of it.

Have you ever read The Clairvoyant Countess by Dorothy Gilman? Totally charming!

I have one of Elizabeth Moon's new series on the shelf, but I think I should probably read the Paksenarrion trilogy first as I haven't read any of her work before, and I keep hearing such good things about that trilogy!

Maybe I need to rethink reading all the Agatha Best First nominees for this year? That one doesn't sound good to me at all.

>151 Crazymamie: Hey Mamie -- I'm finding that my reading order is often dictated by what hold books I get from the library. To keep good book karma, I try to read the books I think others are holding for as quickly as possible. I just got Angels' Flight which is brand new and I know that Death Comes to Pemberly is waiting for me at the library (finally). I'll probably try to knock those two out, so maybe after that? I promise I will be reading it this month. When were you planning to get to it? And enjoy A Share in Death -- the series just gets stronger as it goes forward.

>152 thornton37814: Lori, if you don't much care for paranormal mysteries, I wouldn't bother. The fortunetelling wasn't as big a part as I thought it might be -- it might have been better if there'd been more!

>153 ronincats: Roni - I would have said no, I hadn't read it until I read some reviews. Now I think I must have read it years and years ago. I'll have to give it a reread -- thanks for mentioning it.

>154 dk_phoenix: I'm a little compulsive about reading things in order, so, yes, I would suggest reading the original Paks trilogy first. It's not for everyone -- it's often described as very Tolkien like fantasy. I hope you get a chance to try it soon!.

>155 lindapanzo: Linda -- I hope you do give Tempest in the Tea Leaves a try. Maybe I was too harsh? Maybe it just pushed my quirky dislikes buttons? Maybe I was grumpy because I'd just been sick? When I read the LT reviews (which was after I'd drafted my own review) I was surprised to see how many people not only liked the book, but were positively gushing in their five star praise. And it did get the Agatha nomination, after all. I'd really be curious to know what you think. Can you get a hold of it without buying it?

I can read it whenever - I have it on Kindle. I also have Death Comes to Pemberly, so I can read that with you - I have not read anything by Nalini Singh before.

I am beat tonight. I had intended to write a review of Nebula Nominee God's War tonight, but that's just not happening. I had a bunch of stuff I was going to do tonight, but instead I think I'm going to curl up and read Death Comes to Pemberley, which I managed to pick up from the library. After all, I have to get it back to the library as quickly as possible, right?

>157 Crazymamie: Mamie -- I rarely have much luck coordinating my reading with others -- usually reading around the same week or so is about the best I manage! It'll be nice to talk about them both, though. As noted above, I'm digging in to P.D. James tonight. Flavia is coming up soon, though.

Singh writes what's usually labeled 'paranormal romance,' which isn't something I read all that much of. She has two series - the Psy-somethings and the Guild Hunter series, which is the one I read. I like the combination of Angels (not the traditional type), vampires (made by Angels) and Guild Hunters who hunt vampires who act badly / break their contracts with the Angel who made them. It feels a little closer to urban fantasy to me than her other work. She tends to write in a lot of sex, which I usually skip....

I'm off to Pemberley now. *waves hanky from carriage window*

Dejah, I'll probably read it. Maybe not right away though. I'll give one of the others a try first.

ETA: I just started one of the Agatha Best First nominees, Dire Threads by Janet Bolin. This is one of those very traditional, craft-related cozies.

Hey Linda - Dire Threads looks nice -- a traditional cozy sounds good. I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on Tempest in the Tea Leaves whenever you get to it.

I'm about halfway through Death Comes to Pemberley and I can understand why it's gotten mixed reviews. It's not bad it's just...well, I'll save it for my review.

53. God’s War by Kameron Hurley (TIOLI #18)

Kameron Hurley’s God’s War is probably not a book I would have picked up had it not been recently nominated for a Nebula Award. Even then, I probably wouldn’t have read it had I not seen that Nyx, the main character, was one of a group of government sanctioned female assassins known as the bel dames. Once I saw that, I had to read it; I’m a sucker for poetry references.

Some science fiction and fantasy novels gently introduce you to their world, carefully explaining the magic systems and politics through semi plausible conversations and interactions. God’s War does not fall into this category. The reader is dumped into a complex world and explanations are not readily forthcoming. I’m usually a fast reader but I read this book, particularly the early parts, very slowly; I focused closely on each word, trying to grasp what was going on. There are hints that Nyx’s world was settled before it had been completely terraformed, the colonists forced to struggle in an inhospitable environment. In addition, a religious war between two nations which appear to follow variants on Islam, has been waged for centuries, long enough that most people no longer remember exactly why they’re fighting. Young men are, archaically put, cannon fodder, and relations between the genders have altered. In addition, some people on this world have acquired inherited traits like shapeshifting and magic. The former are disliked, despised or disenfranchised depending on what nation they’re in and the latter, employed. Technology and magic are centered around insects: bug tech. Insects swarm in this novel; it is not for anyone with a bug phobia.

This book is dark, violent and casually brutal. The characters are damaged and struggle, not only to survive, but to interact with others. I have a limited tolerance for dystopian fiction and do not enjoy reading about bleak worlds lives, so the fact that I not only finished God’s War but intended to read sequel, Infidel says a great deal about the skill with which I believe the author handled ugly subjects. This work is not going to be for everyone, but if it sounds at all interesting, it’s worth giving a try; it is incredibly well done.

God's War does sound interesting Dejah. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a copy.

Well I've caught up but now where to start...

I like the Elly Griffiths books but found something annoying about The House at Seas End. It wasn't the relationship between Ruth and the police guy but something to do with the way the wife was repeatedly portrayed as conventionally attractive, unacademic and preferring clothes to books in a way that seemed designed to take our sympathy away from her! Almost, oh it's okay if Ruth has an affair with her husband, she's blonde and she doesn't read books!

I've wondered about Erin Hart's books and will probably give one a go, sometime!

A lot of people seem disappointed with the last Hunger Games book but someone on the TIOLI thread said they liked the third the best. I've only just read The Hunger Games but am sure I will read the others before too long.

And now you've made me want to watch Downton Abbey!

>162 calm: Calm - I hope you can find a copy. My library system, which includes almost all of the state of Georgia except for metro Atlanta had no copies of God's War. Of course, they have a copy now - mine. I dropped it off with my wonderful librarian this afternoon. I don't imagine it'll get many readers from my small branch, but there should be some folks interested in our local system and across the state. Actually, knowing I'd probably donate it was my justification for buying a book I wasn't at all certain I'd like!

>163 Soupdragon: Hi Dee -- thanks for visiting! I know exactly what you mean about his wife -- there seems to be a real effort to make her appear shallow. I'm not quite sure how she's going to work all that out; there's a lot of potential for unhappiness.

As for Erin Hart, I thought Haunted Ground was good, but not great. Certainly good enough that I've got Lake of Sorrows on my shelf in case I get to it this month.

It'll be interesting to see what you think about Catching Fire and Mockingjay -- lots different opinions out there....

Downton Abbey is a hoot. It's well done -- and simply gorgeous to look at. I've got to get my hands on Season Two, but Netflix is being slow and I haven't convinced myself to buy it yet...of course, I could always plan to donate it to the library!

Once again, my reading plans are being altered by the arrival of hold books at my library. Fair Game, Patricia Briggs' third Alpha and Omega novel, which was officially published Tuesday, was waiting for me today. My librarian considered checking it out first, but she knew I'd been waiting for it so she handed it over to me. I've promised to read and return it ASAP. To that end, I've finished Death Comes to Pemberley, but I'll delay writing my review until tomorrow. It was helpful that I had technological problems this afternoon that kept me from working -- it's not often that I say that!

I hope everyone has a wonderful night - and excellent reading!

54. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James (TIOLI #1)

I usually avoid the works of authors revisiting the cannon of Jane Austen, particularly Pride and Prejudice. One exception is the version of Sandition, completed by ‘Another Lady,’ which I’ve always liked. But when I heard that mystery author P.D. James was setting a murder at Pemberley, I thought it was worth giving it a shot.

Elizabeth Bennett is loved by readers because of her liveliness, her wit and her appreciation of the absurd. Unfortunately, none of that comes through in Death Comes to Pemberley. In fact, after a rather slow beginning, Elizabeth appears very little. This is not ‘Lizzie Investigates a Murder’; Mrs. Darcy stays at home as would have been appropriate and no one really investigates. The truth comes out, eventually, but not until after some largely boring court scenes.

I thought James’ characterizations of Jane and Charles Bingley and Mr. Bennett were spot on, but I wasn’t comfortable with some of the others, including Elizabeth, Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam. I doubt there was any way to write a book that would satisfy the fans of such a beloved novel; it was brave of James to try.

It’s not a bad book, but I don’t think it’s a particularly successful book either. I knew there were plenty of lukewarm reviews before I picked it up and decided to read it anyway. I imagine others will do the same.

I read Oath of Gold years ago, but not the previous ones. I always meant to go back to the series but never did. One of these days...

Dejah - Death Comes to Pemberley is my first abandoned book of the year. I used to never put down a book I had started, but the older I get, the pickier I am about what consumes my time as far as books are concerned. Your review hits it right on the head:"Elizabeth Bennett is loved by readers because of her liveliness, her wit and her appreciation of the absurd. Unfortunately, none of that come through in Death Comes to Pemberley." Ah, well...

Excellent review of God's War and it does sound interesting so I will try and read it at some point.

#166 Your review of Death Comes to Pemberley was spot on too.

It was a beautiful weekend here in GA. I went to the Forsythia Festival on Saturday and gardened and read outdoors on Sunday. I've been on LT very little since last Thursday and I am so very behind on reviews and threads! It's going to take me a while to catch up.

>167 antqueen: antqueen - I hope you get back to it; it's a series I really enjoy. And now I have the follow up books as well - fun!

>168 Crazymamie: I have to say, Mamie, that I understand why you abandoned it. I kept hoping it would improve....

>168 Crazymamie: Heather, do try God's War when you can. I'm hoping to get through all the Nebula nominees, but it's so different, I think it's got a shot at winning. And thanks for the kind words - nice comments about my reviews are always welcome!

55. Fair Game by Patricia Briggs (TIOLI #12)

Patricia Briggs has produced another great book in her Alpha and Omega series, a spinoff of her popular Mercy Thompson books.

Since the werewolves have gone public Bran, the Marrok, leader of the werewolves in the United States, has been forced to tighten the rules on his often volatile packmembers; conservative politicians and others want to take their citizenship and label them animals. Public perception is critical. Bran’s enforcer is his son Charles, and the toll of taking lives for actions which once would have merited a second chance his peace of minds and possibly his sanity.

When three werewolves in Boston become victims of a serial killer, Bran sends Charles and his wife Anna to work with the FBI and other agencies to help catch the murderer. Perhaps the work will distract Charles from the ghosts preying on his mind….

This book was thoroughly enjoyable; I hadn’t intended to, but I read it in one sitting. Although the blurb I wrote above makes it sound as though it’s all about Charles, it’s not; all the Alpha (Charles) and Omega (Anna) books are about both of them and their partnership. I’d go back to the beginning if you want to give these books a try, but then I always say that. The Boston setting was terrific and I think there were several characters introduced who may have their own books or short stories at some point in the future. If you like urban fantasy at all, give Patricia Briggs a try!

I think only think I didn't like about this book was the cover.

Just dropping by...making sure I had you starred.

I really enjoyed your reviews. And wow! You've read a lot so far. :)

>172 kittenfish: Thank you so much - both for visiting and for saying you like my reviews. Sometime I do better than others with my reviews. Speaking of which....

I have been so busy and am so far behind on my reviews that I just going to go ahead and post the books. So will be with reviews pending, others with a few comments. Not being caught up is driving me crazy!

56. Choke by Kaye George (TIOLI #3)

Review pending for this Best First Novel Agatha Award nominee.

57. Mallory’s Oracle by Carol O’Connell (TIOLI #21)

Someone is murdering little old ladies - wealthy little old ladies. Is the motive money? Malice?

This great first novel (published in 1994) has a sociopath, a serial killer and New York City. What more could you really ask for? Mallory, who works with computers for the NYPD, steps out from behind her monitor when her adoptive father is killed by the murderer. Pissing off Mallory was the killer's biggest mistake....

Woohoo - now I have a new series to work through, a series which is still being published.

58. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (TIOLI #3)

A great deal has been written about this Best First Novel Agatha Award Winner, so I won’t add much.

I enjoyed it. If a few things were a little improbable, (Flavia’s newspaper research went remarkably well) I was willing to go along for the ride. I’m not sure how the series will wear over the long haul, but I’m eager to read the next book.

59. Angels’ Flight by Nalini Singh (TIOLI #12)

Comments pending.

That Carol O'Connell sounds good but, unfortunately, the local library doesn't have that one ... though it does have some of the later books in the series:(

Looking forward to seeing what you say about the rest of your latest reads:)

I thought the Carol O'Connell sounded good, too - and added it to my bulging wish list!

regarding your #37. Haunted Ground byErin Hart

I was intrigued by her newest book False Mermaid and once I realized it was part of a series I picked up the 1st book. I was excited...it sounded interesting and I love Ireland. But, I did something unusual and abandoned the book about 1/3 in. If you continue with the series, please let me know what you think.

Dejah - like the look of the Carol O'Connell - another series for me too - thanks for sharing! Have a lovely weekend. Impressed that you have already broken 60 books this year.

I've had my eye on The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie for a long time. I'll have to get to it soon!

>178 calm: Thanks for visiting, calm. I've read the second in that series, but didn't like it as well as the first. I hope you can get your hands on it!

>179 Crazymamie: Mamie -- I know what you mean about the bulging wishlist. Mine is totally out of control - there are so many folks on LT reading such great books....

>180 kittenfish: Haunted Ground was all the more disappointing because it seemed as though it would just perfect for me. I have Lake of Sorrows checked out from the library, but I haven't felt inclined to pick it up yet. I'm sure I will eventually, and I promise to post what I think.

>181 PaulCranswick: Hello, Paul! I really was impressed with Mallory's Oracle - I hope you can find it.

>182 porch_reader: I wasn't sure I was going to like 11 year old Flavia, but as it happens, I do. I'm not as crazy about the series as many are, but I find I'm interested in both the mysteries and the family. Give The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie a try when you can - I've already read the second and have the third waiting....

60. Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry (TIOLI #3)

On Lake Champlain, ferries cross back and forth between New York and Vermont, passing each other en route. Troy Chance, on her way to Vermont to see her boyfriend, spies what she thinks is a child falling from the ferry heading to New York. With no time to sound the alarm, Troy jumps off the ferry to rescue what turns out to be a small boy.

Saying anything more than that gives away too much of the plot; you’ll just have to read it to find out what happens. This is another Best First Novel Agatha Award nominee from this year and I was destined to like it, as Troy was named for artist Agatha Troy, wife of the fictional detective Roderick Alleyn, created by Ngaio Marsh. The book is not without problems. It has fast paced open, but the middle slows down far too much. Things pick back up and I can honestly say that I didn’t see the resolution coming. It’s the only non cozy of the nominees, and so far I think it and Choke have the best shot at winning. I think Sara J. Henry is going to have a successful writing career.

61. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (TIOLI #21)

The third book in the trilogy that begins with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was one of the Nebula Nominees announced in February, and since I’m planning to read all of this year’s nominees, I thought I’d start at the beginning (I should note that The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms was itself nominated for a Nebula). In the simplest possible terms, this is a novel of gods interacting with mortals and political machinations. It took me a while to warm to it, but ultimately, I liked it very much. I’ll be reading the second book, Broken Kingdoms, shortly.

Oh, good, you reminded me that I was trying to put The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie on hold at the library when my library card expired. I stopped in the other day to renew it, but forgot what books I had meant to order!

ETA (since your review of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms showed up while I was writing the above) that I have that one and mean to get to it very soon, making it the 3rd of this year's Nebula nominees.

Happy to be of service, Roni! I'm glad you're reading the nominees, too. It's good to have someone to chat with about them.

Oh dear - those both sound good!

>186 ronincats: I am listening to the audiobook of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and I would say that if you like audiobooks at all, you might want to see if your library has the audio version, as it is fabulously done. The narrator is wonderful - I had it on in the car and the kids were hooting with laughter at her antics. I know I am enjoying the book more than I would if I had just read the physical copy.

Thanks, Marnie. I'm very much a visual processor, tend to get distracted a lot during audio, and they are so SLOW! I did note that all the audio copies were checked out when I requested my book.

Glad to see that you're enjoying these Agatha Best First nominees, Dejah. otoh, I'm hardly reading this month.

I added Learning to Swim to my wishlist the other day, you are the first person I know that has read it - sounds good.

I am planning on reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for my 12 in 12 challenge this year sometime.

I received a copy of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for my birthday this year, and I'm very eager to read it. I don't think I've heard a bad thing about it.

Crazymamie (@188), I so agree with you about The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The narrator just MADE that book! It was a really a good story, but the audio version just perfectly captured Flavia's personality.

>188 Crazymamie:, 189, 193

Mamie, I'm with Roni on this one; I'm better with print versions than audio. Audio is too slow! The only exception is if I'm going to be on a long car trip. Even then, I'll start the book in the car and finish with the hard copy. It's good to know that the audio is so good, though. I may have the chance to try one of the later books in that format.

>191 DeltaQueen50: Judy - Overall I was very happy with Learning to Swim. The slow middle was annoying, but I understand why she wrote it that may. What I'm not certain about is if she's planning to make this a series - I think she left the possibility open, but it also works quite well as a stand alone book. I suppose award nominations may help you get your next book published....

>192 dk_phoenix: I am aware of one negative comment about this book. When I was about 100 pages into The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, I added it to my LT library. Since I had some mixed feelings about the book at that point, I took a look at a few of the reviews, none of which I had previously read. I came across one review that was complaining about the gratuitous sex in the novel. "Well shoot," I thought, "I haven't come across any sex yet - I guess I'll have to keep reading." I hope you won't be disappointed, because while I did finally get to the sex, I didn't think it was gratuitous nor was it graphically described - although there was a certain intensity about some of it. At any rate, I ended up liking the book very much, with or without the sex! I hope you enjoy it, too.

62. The Heirloom Murders by Kathleen Ernst ( TIOLI #19)

Sadly, this series is turning out to be somewhat disappointing. The premise, that Chloe Ellefson solves mysteries relating to artifacts she comes across as collections curator at Old World Wisconsin, sounds great. But the first book was weighed down by Chloe’s deep depression and while her depression has lifted in the second book, she and her potential love interest, police officer Roelke, spend a lot of time worrying about depression in others. I admire authors who use their fiction to inform about medical conditions, mental health issues, etc., but in this instance it’s not working well for the story. In addition, the characters seem very one note – almost flat.

I think I would have been happier with more history and historical research The Heirloom Murders. One of the heirloom topics in this mystery was heirloom plants, about which I know a fair amount, so I didn’t find that material particularly interesting.

I may give the third book a try because I’m still enamored by the concept of the series, but I won’t go to any great effort to get ahold of it.

63. The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan (TIOLI #3)

I know many people are quite fond of this series, but I have to confess that it did very little for me. I thought the clues were doled out with a heavy hand; I knew the identity of the perpetrator quite early on, although the why of the crime was a mystery until the end.

The setting, a village in Wales, was charming and the newly forming relationships between characters were interesting, I’m not certain I found enough in this book to seek out more in the series.

Dejah - I hear what you're saying! Normally, I don't do audiobooks either because you're right, they are too slow. I have read over thirty books so far this year and Sweetness is only my second audio. I was just mentioning that the audio was really good because some people do prefer them or like to mix them in with their reading - like in the car. I am only listening to it in the car, which is the only way that I actually pay attention to an audiobook - I loose focus if I try to listen while I am cooking or doing laundry.

Exactly, Mamie -- if I try them while doing something other than driving I just can't keep track. I've always been a mainly visual learner. They are great for the car - I just don't do all that much long distance driving.

64. The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan Bradley (TIOLI #19)

So far, the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley is holding up nicely! Flavia remains a hoot and I’m fascinated by her family; I fully expect Flavia to whip up some concoction in Uncle Tar’s laboratory to save them all from financial ruin. The mystery was quite good, too. It’s not a brilliant series and it probably never be my favorite, but I expect I’ll have all of these read in short order and be waiting eagerly for more.

Someone told me that Duncan's series does improve. I hope so. I had some issues with the plot development also, but I liked the characters and setting. I will probably read at least the next one to see if it does.

Chiming in a little late on "Learning to Swim": I read it last year and had a similar reaction. Pretty good, with problems. I didn't expect it to turn up on the Agatha ballot, but wish it well. It's the only one I've read.

According to the author's website at the time, the plan was to make it a series. The website is no longer available, so I don't know about current plans.

>200 thornton37814: Lori - I think I'll wait for your review before I decide to give it a try!

>201 swynn: I've got mixed feelings about the Best First Novel Agatha Award nominees this year. So far I've really disliked one, found two pretty good and am struggling to get through the fourth (I've picked it up and put it back down twice now). I'm hoping the fifth will be a winner. We'll see!

65. Timeless by Gail Carriger (TIOLI #12)

Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama, aka the Infant Inconvenience, is now three, and something of a terror. When Queen Matakara, the oldest existing vampire, expresses a desire to see the metanatural child, Alexia and her husband Conall, Lord Maccon, head for Egypt. Along as camouflage are Ivy and Tunstell’s theater troop – and their infant twins. Mayhem ensues.

This series is goofy, over the top fun. Under no circumstances should someone begin with Timeless, the finial book in the series; go back to the beginning and start with Soulless. I’m looking forward to Carriger’s next series in this world which is supposed to take place twenty years or so after the end of Timeless and focuses on the Infant Inconvenience grown up. It should be more great fun!

66. Lysistrata by Aristophanes (TIOLI #13)

I’m cheating a little here. What follows isn’t really a review, it’s just some comments I made in a discussion of Lysistrata with bucketyell on another thread. For background information, Lysistrata is a comedy written by Aristophanes in 411 B.C. In it, the women of Athens resolve to end a series of devastating, ongoing wars by convincing the women of Greece to withhold sex from their husbands until peace is declared. They also hold the treasury hostage.

I was struck by several things. Some of the 'feminist' elements still resonate. An example is the bit where the husband tries to get his wife to come home because their poor little tyke hasn't had a bath in a week and she essentially replies it's too bad the father and a household of servants can't manage to take care of him. While you wouldn't hear it too much now, the idea that women could run a household (including home industries) but not be qualified to have in say in state spending is a refrain that continued for thousands of years.

The anti-war message resonates, too. I loved the idea that women paid taxes in the form of the sons they bear to fight and die for their country. Given the feminist / war issues, you'd think that Lysistrata would be staged more often - and then I remember the incredibly vulgar visual humor. I can just imagine either of the two local community theaters proposing to stage a play in which actors would be walking around with enormous faux erections! A university or experimental theater group could get away with it - it would be fun! On the other hand, I suspect that "Lysistrata Jones", a musical update of Lysistrata in which the cheerleaders / girlfriends won't have sex with their boyfriends on the basketball team until they win a game, while failing horribly on Broadway will find success in community and regional theaters around the country.

I enjoyed not only how much time/place specific humor there was, but also how much can be specifically identified in footnotes. Note: this is a small community near Athens known for its gnat problem. What a hoot! I wonder how many cultural references in "Lysistrata Jones' will be footnotable in 2400 years?

At any rate, I enjoyed it. I still think I prefer the punch of Greek Tragedy, but the Comedy is fun, too.

>194 Dejah_Thoris:: Oh, I hadn't heard that! Thanks for the heads up.

>205 dk_phoenix: I just thought it was funny, Faith. I hope you like the book.

67. Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie (TIOLI #15)

Aya is a fun graphic novel set in Cote d’Ivoire in the late 1970s when the country was experiencing an economic boom. As a result of the growth, Cote d’Ivoire developed a middle class unusual in much of Africa. The story is of teenaged Aya and her family and friends. It’s striking how similar teen concerns are, wherever they are in the world. The images in the book are striking and colorful: so is the language.

68. The Man Who Cast Two Shadows by Carol O’Connell (TIOLI #19)

I have to admit that I didn’t care for The Man Who Cast Two Shadows, the second book in Carol O’Connell’s Mallory series, as much as I did the first. There are two storylines pursued in this novel, which I thought detracted from the overall effect although there was ultimately a logic to it. I’m also beginning to wonder how a sociopath for a main character will wear over the run of the series. I intend to keep reading them, so I suppose I’ll find out.

69. Grayson by Lynn Cox (TIOLI #5)

Grayson, by Lynn Cox (long distance swimmer and author of Swimming to Antarctica) is a great, short, non-fiction work. During a training swim in the Pacific Ocean off of California, Cox encounters a baby gray whale separated from its mother during the annual northern whale migration. The story spans one morning during which she and others try to reunite the pair. It’s a very positive, lovely book.

Murder, With Peacocks by Donna Andrews (reread, TIOLI #3)

I was so inspired by all this talk about this book on Linda’s thread that I had to reread it for the umpteenth zillion time (as a recent reread, it does not count toward my 75). This series is just plain fun and is a must for anyone who likes humor with their mystery.

Dejah -you have been busy!! I like the sound of Grayson, and I have had Murder, With Peacocks sitting in my TBR for forever. Maybe I should get to it sooner rather than later.

Grayson was a pleasure with the added advantage of being very short!

Donna Andrew's Meg Langslow series is one of my favorites because I can count on the humor, which, occasionally, gets a little goofy. I know several people who find the books silly, but I like them enough to reread them as comfort reads. I hope you try Murder, With Peacocks - I'm looking forward to finding out what you think of it!

I added Murder, With Peacocks on my TBR list. Sounds like a fun mystery.

I'm doing a pretty good job with my TBR list and I vow to pick up one from the list on every trip to the library

Hey Ellen - I can't say enough good things about Murder, With Peacocks, so I'm glad you've added it to your TBR!

Thank goodness for public libraries! I'd beggar myself if I bought every book I wanted to read. Many folks here on LT seem to buy a lot of books, which I try to avoid. As a result I'm a very regular patron of my library branch. What about you?

70. Aya of Yop City by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie (TIOLI #15)

This continuation of the story of life in the (then) capital city Abidjan of Cote d’Ivoire in the late 1970s is a worthy successor to Aya. I just wish that the work focused more on Aya herself, rather than so much on her friends and family. I definitely want to continue with the series, and since my library doesn’t have the already published third book, I may have to break down and buy and donate!

The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Backett (reread, TIOLI #6)

This was a reread for me in anticipation of my February ER book, The Master of Heathcrest Hall, the third book in the series. It’s a good thing I reread it; I’d forgotten some significant points since I read it when it was first published in 2008. Pick this series up if you might like fantasy wrapped in the trappings of Jane Austen, the Brontes, and even a tiny flash of James’ Turn of the Screw. Think Sorcery and Cecelia but more serious and on a much grander scale. I think I actually liked The Magicians and Mrs. Quent better the second time….

I found the same thing, Dejah, when I reread it before reading the second book last year--I liked it better the second time around. I'm jealous now--I went for the Tim Powers book (which I did win) in the February ER list so did not ask for the third in this series, so now I will have to wait!

Roni -

Isn't it odd we both like it better the second time - I can't think of many books I'd say that about. Perhaps it's because some of the plot / magic elements are fairly complex, and it's just easier to understand on a reread?

I was having trouble getting a hold of The House on Durrow Street from my old library system, so I decided I' wait and read it when the third book came out. I recently finished it and, unless I'm completely distracted, I should have a short review up today. I going to wait a few more days to start The Master of Heathcrest Hall - it may be my first book in April. I was really pleased to see it on the ER list, and while there were several books I would have been happy to get, I'm delighted that's the one the mystical ER algorithm picked for me!

71. Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis Last Living Star of the Ziegfeld Follies by Lauren Redniss (TIOLI #5)

Before the talented Lauren Redniss wrote Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout and was nominated for the National Book Award she wrote another visual biography: Century Girl: 100 Years in the Life of Doris Eaton Travis Last Living Star of the Ziegfeld Follies. It’s a fascinating look at both Doris Eaton’s life and U.S. popular culture in the 20th century. I particularly enjoyed the years between her birth in 1904 and the Stock Market Crash in 1929; family scrapbook collections, a style somewhat mimicked in the text, provide truly entertaining images. Perhaps the more admirable era of Eaton’s life was the years of the Depression and after, during which she recovered from the loss of her glamorous stage career and created a new life for herself. Most of her siblings (of whom there were many) never recovered from the changes in their lives.

Century Girl was published in 2006; Doris Eaton lived until 2010, from all reports active and vibrant to the end. Her life is an interesting microcosm of the 20th century and Century Girl a visual biography well worth reading looking at picking up.

Dejah...I am a library lunatic. LOL! I don't have the space for many books. I hold on to some, but not as many as I'd like. Even when I buy used books from the library I donate them back.

I think I might break down and buy Fifty Shades of Grey I don't know if my library will carry that one. :)

But, I often buy books for others as gifts. It's kinda my thing. LOL! I do a good job as far as picking out books for my friends and family. Sometimes I think they'd never read if I didn't make them!

I am very much in the minority here as I rarely if ever buy new books; my purchases are usually old books at second-hand (the only way I can get them), and mostly books I've already read and enjoyed, and know that I will want to re-read.

On the other hand, I'm a voracious library user and very lucky to have access to both an excellent public system with interlibrary loan service country-wide, and (although at a price) a very good academic library.

>220 kittenfish:

Ellen, I believe libraries are truly one of the great gifts of civilization. I try to keep my purchases down; usually, if I can get it from the library I do. Happily, my new library / librarian will accept like new donations, so in some instances I've been able to buy, read and donate, which helps to justify my expenditures! My librarian has also been wonderful about order books I request - or confirming that one of the other branches in our local system is getting it. I feel very lucky.

On the topic of what libraries are ordering, I was curious about whether or not they'd be getting Fifty Shades of Grey after our discussion on your thread. I was told that the book had been discussed, and that most of the branches were waiting to see how many requests they got for it. The librarians less concerned about the sexual content (after all, as we said before, can it be any racier than Laurell K. Hamilton?) than they were about the fact that this was essentially someone profiting from fanfic, which is, after all, illegal. I imagine at least a few branches will get it. We'll see. I can't wait to hear what you think of it.

>221 lyzard:

Liz - Given your unusual reading, it makes sense that you'd do best at used shops. There seem to be fewer and fewer of them here; the survivors are all online. I regret that I don't have access to an academic library - it's almost worth enrolling in a university course to get a card. Here in the U.S. philanthropist (or degenerate capitalist, depending on your politics and perspective) Andrew Carnegie funded the building of over 1500 libraries around the county in the late 1800s - early 1900s. If I recall correctly, there were some built in Australia as well. Is there any one individual associated with the building / endowing of libraries in Australia?

>222 Dejah_Thoris:: A lot of universities offer "community borrower" guest accounts with limited circulation priveleges. This is especially true of state-supported schools. For state residents, my employer doesn't even charge a fee for the privelege. If there's a college or university near you, it'd be worth calling and asking about their policies.

(And on the remote chance that you ever move to NE Missouri I'll be happy to hook you up!)

Not in the same way, but David Scott Mitchell was an important (and obsessive) 19th and early 20th century collector of Australian books, pictures and records, and he bequeathed his collection to the nation. The Mitchell Library now sits within the State Library of NSW.

Most of our bigger / older collections are associated with our universities, particularly the University of Sydney, which is the oldest, and the academic library I access. I have a community borrower's card which isn't cheap, but which is worth it considering the amount of use I get out of it.

**blushing***

I'm not into romance novels and I'm all embarrassed since you obviously know I dig smut

LOL!! I just think it's curious how that illegail fanfic found it's way to the best seller lust list

I'll read it and report back.

Please dont judge the kitten

223 - 224

You guys were right, I can get limited borrowing privileges at Macon State College: 5 books at a time, no book holds and no ILL. Still, that should be fine for most of the books I'd want. I can't believe I didn't check when we moved last Fall, but where I was before I couldn't borrow from the nearby SUNY. On the other hand, they were very good about sending their books out to public library patrons though ILL.

Swynn, as I just finally made it back to the beautiful state of Georgia, it seems unlikely that I'll end up in NE Missouri - of course, you never know! If I do, I'll let you know. I'm not sure I could root for the Cardinals....

Liz - Obsessive though they may have been, thank goodness for collectors (hoarders with good taste?). Most of my time in archives or special collections has been for genealogical research and I'm thankful every time that someone saved those scraps of paper, books, ledgers, etc.

>225 kittenfish:

Ellen - LTers are for the most part very nonjudgmental; there is no need to blush for your choice of reading material.

Boy, you stay away from LT for a few days and everyone else's thread explodes! I promise I'll be visiting threads as soon as I manage to get some reviews written and posted. I'm so very far behind....

72. The Odd Couple (Female Version) by Neil Simon (TIOLI #6)

I didn’t have very high expectation when I picked up Neil Simon’s reworked play The Odd Couple (Female Version). I was never that much of a fan of the original and now I’m not much of a fan of the remake with women. Instead of poker and beer, these women of the 1980s have Trivial Pursuit and diet soda; I have to say it doesn’t really speak to me. That said, it probably is fairly funny staged, as long as the audience is willing to be amused.

73. The House on Durrow Street by Galen Beckett (TIOLI #6)

When I had trouble getting Galen Beckett’s follow up to The Magicians and Mrs. Quent from my old library, I decided to wait until the third book was about to be published to read it. That was an excellent plan. This series, fantasy set in a not quite Earth, Regency England flavored nation full of magic, is quite complex. The politics and inner workings of both magic and the control of the realm are complicated and when coupled with the intertwined stories of the three main characters result in a terrific book. I’m looking forward to The Master of Heathcrest Hall enormously.

74. Las Soldaderas: Women of the Mexican Revolution by Elena Poniatowska (TIOLI #5)

I have a very mixed reaction to Las Soldaderas: Women of the Mexican Revolution, a book of images from the archives of Mexico’s Fototeca Nacional with an extensive accompanying text by Poniatowska. Poniatowska’s essay is something of a mess. Her explanations of the critical role of women in the Revolution and of how they have been almost forgotten is often beautiful, the organization is a mystery. She jumps from topic to topic and then circles around to touch a topic again. If I hadn’t already had a fairly good understanding of the Mexican Revolution and knowledge of the major players, I would have been completely lost. There was a discussion of the Mexican Revolution novel, which could have been far more relevant than it was. Corridos (narrative ballads, often about romance and social issues) were mentioned in several places, but without ever coming to any specific point or conclusion. Poniatowska contradicts herself frequently as to the role of the women, their demeanor, how they were treated, etc. This may have been a deliberate attempt to illustrate the lack of documentation an hard evidence available about the Soldaderas, but it was awkward. The information was interesting, but it could have been presented so much better.

If you search out this book, do it for the photographs. There’s a combination of posed and candid shots that make me want to find my copy of Visual Anthropology to get more from them. I think there’s little point in describing photographs, but I was particularly touched by one. It depicts a line of soldiers on a diagonal and then several women nearest the camera. One of the women looks very nervous, and she’s stretched out the pinky finger of one hand, to just barely touch the hand of the woman next to her, as if seeking comfort.

In a section at the end of the book, it’s noted that Susan Sontag, in her book On Photography, state that the Spanish Civil War was the first was to be extensively documented by photography. Historian David Romo claims that this is incorrect, that the Mexican Revolution holds that honor. Based on the photos in Las Soldaderas, I’d love to see more.

Dejah - good to see you back!! The Beckett books look good; I will have to check into them.

Mamie - do check the Beckett books out. I will warn you that you have to like 19th century fiction to enjoy these books. I'll probably read the third later this week - something to look forward to!

75. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (TIOLI #15)

A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs was one of the first two science fiction novel I ever read (I was about eight). I have read it many, many times since then, but not recently. With Barsoom making its debut on the big screen in John Carter, I thought it was time to revisit my old friend.

John Carter, Civil War veteran turned gold prospector, is magically transported to Mars where he proves his mettle as a fighting man, captures the love of Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, and generally saves the day. I loved it as a kid, and I still love it now. I named my late, much beloved red tabby cat Dejah Thoris, and it is her name that I use on LT, not that of the Mars princess. I suppose, though, that distinction doesn’t matter in the end; both usages are a tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs and Barsoom (Mars).

If you’re interested in learning more, a link to a NYT’s Movie section article about the book behind the movie John Carter is here.

It’s great, entertaining, classic science fiction. Give it a try

Dejah - I have that Princess of Mars book!! It is free on Kindle. Haven't read it yet, but now I will bump it up because I must know who Dejah Thoris is!! And I LOVE 19th century fiction, so that works.

>233 Dejah_Thoris:: I'm currently listening to the LibriVox version of Princess of Mars during my runs. I also picked it up because of the big-budget film.

I was pleasantly surprised, because I listened to Tarzan last year and found that it hadn't held up well. Princess of Mars I think has fared much better.

Alas, the Disney film now appears to be a record-breaking flop -- which probably means we'll never see an adaptation of Gods of Mars. Frankly, I don't see why Hollywood can't get past its jones for $$$ 3-D $$$ CGI $$$ and try some anime fer cryin out loud.

> I hope you like A Princess of Mars, Mamie. I probably wouldn't adore it if I hadn't first read it as a kid, but I think you'll enjoy it. And I'm looking forward to what you think of The Magicians and Mrs. Quent! You and I, as readers of both fantasy and 19th century lit are definitely the target market!

>235 swynn: I was never much of a Tarzan fan either, although those books were without question is most successful in a financial sense. The John Carter books are just fun - and I think it's impressive, that A Princess of Mars was his first sale (it was serialized in a magazine in 1912). They been talking about a movie of A Princess of Mars for years and years -- it's too bad they finally made it in an era when the super big budget films aren't making their money back. I hadn't thought about it, but anime would be a great choice for John Carter.

76. Savannah’s Crooked Little Houses by Susan B. Johnson (TIOLI #14)

Savannah’s Crooked Little Houses tells the stories of ten still standing antebellum cottages in historic Savannah, Georgia. The stories are mainly about the people who owned these cottages, whether they actually lived in the properties or not. A great deal of work went into the research of these owners and their families and the end result is a fascinating cross section of the history of Savannah and the people who lived there.

Sadly, as this work is intended for the tourist trade, the genealogies and other research are not documented. There is a bibliography of sources used, but no way to recreate the work. So while this book may be of interest to family and local historians, most will find the lack of documentation extremely frustrating as I did.

Congrats on hitting 75! And with a great book!

BTW, I'm about halfway through The Master of Heathcrest Hall and it's outstanding so far...

Hey, Congratulations on passing the 75 book mark already! YOu are cooking!

I've started A Princess of Mars--it's my current Kindle book, although I have it in a hardback collection as well, so for bits and pieces of time while out, mostly. I first read it in 5th grade. Never did care for the Tarzan books, but loved, loved, loved the Mars, Venus and Pellucidar ones.

Wow, 75+ books already- well done!

Dejah - Congrats on 75!! The Savannah book looks interesting. That is one of my very favorite places- I love the old squares and the old houses. We love to eat at The Pirate House and Vinnie van Go Gos. Too bad about the documentation, but I think I would enjoy reading it anyway. I love stuff like that.

I think I'm caught up Dejah but probably not for long at the rate you read. Wow congratulations on surpassing 75 already. I think last year I made 75 on Dec. 31 LOL.

Way back you mentioned Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and reminded me that i have it sitting here on my shelf and should get to it. Somehow, other books keep elbowing it out of the way.

Wooo-hoooo!!! Congrats to making it to 75!!

D'oh! I noticed the title but not the number. Congrats on 75!

Whoo-hooo!!!! Challenge completed!!! Congrats :D

Wow! 75+ already - congratulations!!

I'm sure that I would find the Savannah book interesting in some ways but greatly disappointing in others. I think that's the problem with books aimed at the tourist market. They have interesting stuff on the houses, but the documentation just isn't there. I often find better books at the local historical societies when they have bookstores/gift shops in them.

Thanks, everybody for the congratulations on reaching 75! I've had more time to read in the first quarter of 2012. I wouldn't have made it this soon if I hadn't read an absurd number of books in March, including a bunch of mysteries (mostly short), three plays, three graphic novels and several very short works of non fiction. I sincerely doubt I'll keep up the pace for 300 on the year!

>238 drneutron: Thanks for being the first to notice my 75! A Princess of Mars is a great book. I have to confess that when I realized I was coming up on 75, I made point ordering my books so it would be something I knew I loved. The Master of Heathcrest Hall is coming up next - I'm glad to hear it's a worthy finale.

>239 ronincats: Hey Roni - I'm going to have to break down and get a Kindle - I suspect lots of things I'd read would be free. I hope you're enjoying John Carter's adventures!

>240 Soupdragon: Thanks, Dee - I appreciate you dropping by!

>241 Crazymamie: Mamie - just think how much more often you'll get to visit beautiful Savannah once you've moved down here! I got Savannah's Crooked Little Houses though the library system, so you'll have no problem getting it.

>242 brenzi: Bonnie - would that I could write reviews / comments with the ease with which I read the books! As for The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, I passed it by for a long time, but I'm glad I finally got around to it. I hope it elbows itself forward.

> 243 Thanks Ellen! Excellent graphic!

>244 swynn: No problem, swynn - I confess I rarely notice the number when people post comments, either. Thanks for the congratulations.

>245 dk_phoenix: Thank you very much, Faith!

>246 porch_reader: Thank you, Amy, I appreciate it!

>247 thornton37814: Having read some of your reviews, Lori, I think you would find Savannah's Little Crooked Houses annoying. The book reflects a tremendous amount of research, but I'm left wondering if it was done by the author or lots of other folks who are un-credited. I may have a connection to one of the families mention, and I would have loved correct citations / documentation. It's a book filled with interesting tidbits, but, yeah, it's frustrating. Grrrr.

Congrats on a first 75, as I suspect there might be a second!

Glad you liked the Jemisin, thinking of giving those to the spousal unit for his upcoming boiday.

Adding my belated congratulations on reaching your 75th.

Just stopping in to say that I hope you had a great weekend.

My belated best wishes also on passing 75 in the first quarter of 2012 already. Enjoyed catching up with your thread dear Princess of Mars!

Congrats on the 75 (and beyond!) Dejah. Here's hoping for lots more good reading:)

>249 sibylline: Thanks! I think the second 75 is likely, especially if I keep reading plays. As for Jemisin, I think The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms would be a great present. I'll definitely be reading the second and possibly the third this month.

>250 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy!

>251 Crazymamie: I did have a great weekend, Mamie, thanks! I obviously didn't spend much of it on LT, though. It took me most of last week to catch up on thread from being away from LT last weekend but I never did it caught up on reviews - I'm hopelessly behind! I may break down a go with one liners; we'll see.

Whoops, I hadn't refreshed my page in the better part of an hour (work does get in the way, even when you do it from home) and missed some welcome visitors.

>252 PaulCranswick: Thank you so much, Paul. I don't know how you manage to keep up with so many threads, but it's lovely to have you visit!

>253 calm: Thanks, calm! It's been a good year for reading so far - and there are always so many more books and plays I'm looking forward to reading - well, motivation is not a problem. I appreciate you coming by.

Hi Dejah

#233 I'd already downloaded A Princess of Mars from project gutenberg after the discussion on Paul's thread as I love reading early science fiction novels. I think Dejah Thoris is a lovely name for a kitty :-) Have you seen the John Carter film? I'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD.

And I've only just noticed that was your 75th book - congratulations!

Hey Heather - I hope you enjoy A Princess of Mars. Completely aside from my sentimental fondness for the book, it really is great early science fiction.

As for the film, I've looking forward to / dreading a film adaptation for years now. I have not gone to see it in the theater, although I'm tempted because I imagine the special effects will be best of a big screen. However, I'll probably wait for the DVD, too. I'm sorry it's loosing so much money for Disney, though - ERB derserves better!

I did pick a good book for #75, didn't I? Thanks for the congratulations.

Hey Dejah! Look who finally caught up on your thread! :0)
What an outstanding reading year you're having.
Well, where do I begin? Haunted Ground looks good as does The House at Seas End. Both will go onto the wishlist. I have War Horse and I can't wait to fit that one into my schedule but the one that amuses me the most is 100 Unforgettable Dresses. I remember when Carol Burnett walked out with the curtin dress. I could not stop laughing. I'll check my library pronto for that one.

Welcome, Lynda!

You know, 100 Unforgettable Dresses wasn't the greatest book I've ever read but it was surprisingly fun - and once I saw that picture of Carol Burnett, how could I resist? I hope your library has it and you enjoy it!

I did have mixed feelings about both Haunted Ground and The House at Sea's End, but both are well written books with interesting mysteries. War Horse, on the other hand, I can recommend without hesitation.

Thanks for dropping by!

77. Dire Threads by Janet Bolin (TIOLI #6)

The third time was the charm with Dire Threads. I picked it up and put it down again twice before I finally got interested. Threadville, PA is becoming a mecca for those interested in the textile arts. Willow Vanderling is convinced by her dear friend and former coworker Halley to open a shop in Threadville, showcasing her specialty of machine embroidery. Halley has her own shop and her three Mothers (her birth mother and her two best friends) have opened their own shops as well. But when there’s a murder in Willow’s back yard, the incompetent local police think she’s obvious choice of culprit. Willow, Halley and the three Mothers (who I originally thought of as a Greek Chorus but who ended up per the author being more like the three witches from Macbeth) must band together and find the real criminal.

All in all this mystery was ok, but didn’t really appeal to me. I usually like ‘crafty’ mysteries but machine embroidery does nothing for me, although I am interested in traditional stumpwork, which gets a mention. Dire Threads has been nominated for a Best First Novel Agatha Award, so by all means, give it a chance.

78. Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Uhry (TIOLI #21)

I’ve seen neither a stage version or the acclaimed film version of Driving Miss Daisy, but I can say that the original play itself is wonderful.

At 72 Miss Daisy is not a good driver, and for the safety of the citizens of Atlanta her son insists that she have a chauffeur. Deeply resentful at what she sees as her son’s unwarranted interference, Miss Daisy does not immediately take to her driver, Hoke, but time passes. While there are issues of race and religion in the play, it is primarily about friendship, the friendship that develops between an older, white Jewish woman and a middle aged (and growing older), uneducated, black man in the changing South. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Oh - I loved the movie version when I saw it years ago. It would be fun to read the play. Added to my WL.

Mamie - you should read it, because it's set in your future home state! Actually, there are lots of good reasons to read Driving Miss Daisy. I hope you enjoy it.

Better Off Undead by D. D. Barant (reread, TIOLI #15)

Better Off Undead, the fourth book in D.D. Barant’s Bloodhound Files, was a reread for me, so by my own rules I don’t count it and I don’t have to write a review. I normally would go ahead and write something, because I think this excellent series is vastly under read, but as I’ll be writing a review of the fifth book, Back From the Undead shortly, I’ll hold my fire.

Woohoo! I have finally posted something about all the books I read in March! I know, I know, it's the 10th of April, but at least I finally got it done!

I think I'll start a new thread tomorrow, and start posting April's books. I'll get completely caught up one of these days....

Woohoo!!

Woohoo! I have finally posted something about all the books I read in March! I know, I know, it's the 10th of April...

Oh, man. I wish I didn't understand that so well.

#265 & 267 Woohoo indeed! It is a feeling I know all too well...

Ahhhh...I knew there would be folks here who would understand!

And now I will attempt to continue this thread - wish me luck!