Vancouverdeb's 75 books for 2012 - Part 2

A Favourite *

January
The Siege by Helen Dunmore 4.5 stars*
The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore 4.25 stars
The Hero's Walk by Anita Rau Badami 4 stars
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 3.8 stars
Last Resort : A Memoir by Linwood Barclay 3.7 stars
As Long as the Rivers Flow by James Bartleman 4 stars

February
The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar 4.5 stars *
The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol 3 .8 stars
Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum 4.5 stars
The Caller by Karin Fossum 4.2 stars.8
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves 3.5 stars
Honey-Dew by Louise Doughty 3 stars
House of Orphans by Helen Dunmore 4 stars

March
Harperland : The Politics of Control by Lawrence Martin 4 stars.
The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill 4.5 stars
Midnight at the Dragon Caffe by Susan Fong Bates 4.5 stars *

Hi everyone! My thread had gotten to a little over 250 post, so before the thread police came along to warn me, I have started a new thread! Welcome here and drop a star!! :)

Currently reading As Long as the Rivers Flow by James Bartleman. Really an excellent but gritty story of a First Nations girl who is abused at a Residential School, and then her struggles afterwards. While it's a gritty read, I'm not sure if I've read a book quite this thoughtful in it's insight as to why First Nations people act as they do after residential school, how abuse affects them long term , the racism encountered, the challenges of getting off a Reserve. The books avoids painting anyone as a villain, but gives insight into even the nuns and priest who commit the abuse. I can hardly turn the pages fast enough. It's really a comprehensive look at our First Nations people . I'm only half - way through and already I'm flogging the book! ;)

Hi Deb! Can I make it as first visitor to your thread, I wonder?

As Long as Rivers Flow sounds like a powerful read.

Not quite first here! :)

As Long As Rivers Flow does sound good! What is a residential school though? Is that like a general boarding school, or was it for First Nations children only?

Hi Deb! As Long as Rivers Flow sounds like a good one.

Morning Deb! Congrats on Thread 2! Wow, the threads have been hopping all month. As Long as Rivers Flow does sound good. You find a variety of tasty titles.

Great comments on As Long as the Rivers Flow, Deb.

Hi Deb! Checking in on your new thread. Hope you're having a good day!

Hello to a new thread just in time for Feb (almost), nice to see you :)

@ 4 - Yes you are first here, Dee. Great to see you !

@5 Tania - I think I attempted to describe residential schools for you on your thread. Essentially they were created by European- Canadians to "tame the savages " - the First Nations or Aboriginal Peoples of Canada. The idea was to force European ways upon the children. The kids were taken forcefully from their homes and taken many hundreds of miles from their parents at early age - 6 years old - to live in a boarding school situation, run mainly by the Catholic nuns and priests, the United Church and the Anglican Church. Both physical and sexual abuse were not uncommon.

Here is a link from Wiki to the practice and the fallout - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Indian_residential_school_system

@6 Hi Beth - yes, As Long as Rivers Flow is quite enlightening. It's a riveting read.

@7 Afternoon, Mark! Thanks for stopping by! Tasty titles? Well, I'm not sure about that,but thanks for your kind words!

@8 - Thanks Nancy! Good to see you!

@9 - Hi Anne - yes, having a good day - thankfully it's not pouring rain - just overcast today. I have to pop out and get some grocery shopping done.

@10 Hi Megan! The month has passed quickly, yes. Good to see you too!

I'm nearly finished As Long as the Rivers Flow but not quite. I've really found it very enlightening. I'll try to come up with a review, since I think there is just one on LT so far. I'm not certain sure what I am going to read next - I seldom am until the moment! ;)

Deb - checking in and congrats on shiny new thread. Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

Thanks Paul! Good to see you! Well, now it's Monday!:)

Checking out the new thread - Hi Deb!

Hi Joanne!Great to see you! I've a review for a book coming up ..... just need time to type it out!

Hi Deb! Sounds like a tough book you are reading!

Hi Deb, catching up and congrats on having some great reads for January.

Hi Deb!


Stars seem a bit redundant now with the automatic transfer to a new thread - but I like this one :)

I know Cee....cant just drop a star an run anymore, got to slow down and say hi :)

Hi Deb, just dropping by to say I started The Siege this evening. Oh, thank you for the rec!

Hi Deb -- just passing through. Hope you're having a good weekend!

@16 - Chelle! Thanks for stopping by! Sorry to everyone that I have not been around as much as I would have liked to have been. I've had a sore back and just been a bit busy - -but I've been reading! :)

@!7 - Hi Leonie! Thanks for stopping by! I'll check into your thread soon, once I get mine back in order...

@ Hi Cee! I always appreciate a graphic of any sort ( nice ones please!;) as I have no idea how to put them into my thread myself - so your star is much appreciated!

@19 - Megan - Great too see you - I'll try to get by fairly soon :)

@ 20 Hey Nancy! So glad to hear you are starting The Siege. I feel confident, Comrade Nanska that you will not be disappointed

@Hi Anne! Thanks so much for stopping by!! I know you are looking forward to your holiday in Hawaii at Spring Break! Nice!

Sorry I've been so remiss with my LT activities and visiting my wonderful LT friends! First I'll play catch up on my thread - then I'll try tommorow to catch up on your threads....

At last here is my review for As Long As the Rivers Flow by James Bartleman.

"If you are going to read one book to glimpse what it's like to be an aboriginal in this country, this novel should be the one."

So says part of a review on the back of As Long As the Rivers Flow and I heartily concur. One of the greatest strengths of this of novel is it's great breadth and comprehensive look at what life is like for Canada's First Nations People, particularly the damage done to survivors of residential schools and subsequent generations.

In the the very early 1960's, protagonist Martha Whiteduck , aged six, is taken from her family on the the Cat Lake Reservation in Northern Ontario and flown to a Residential School.The goal of the residential school , run by Catholic nuns and a priest, is to rid children of their Aboriginal culture and "heathen beliefs", and create a "European- Canadian " children. This involved beatings from the nuns, and sadly in Martha's case, a Priest with an an attraction to pre- pubescent girls.

Many years later Martha returns to Cat Lake from the Residential School, full of anger, and no longer comfortable on the Reserve. Filled with anger at her mother, and bereft of parenting skills, Martha soon becomes a mother herself. Sadly, Martha's drinking, inability to care for herself and her child, result in baby Spider being removed by the Ontario Children's Society and the baby is put up for adoption.

From there the story covers much ground, from the racism encountered by aboriginals trying to live off the Reserve, to living on the streets of Toronto, to the hopelessness and self destructiveness felt by subsequent generations of who have lived in residential schools. Despite the sorrow, suicide pacts, and many bumps in the road encountered by Martha, this story is ultimately one of redemption and healing.

Another great strength of author James Bartlemen is his ability to create characters who are neither all bad, nor all good, but just people struggling to fulfill human needs. Even the pedophilic priest is painted with a measure of sympathy.

Author James Bartleman , is Ojibwa, and a former Lieutenant Governer of Ontario , as well as a recipient of the Order of Canada. I've read quite a few books about Canada's First Nation's People, but this book stands out in it's ability to shed so much light on the plight and challenges that face Canada's Aboriginal /First Nations people.

Bravo to author James Bartlemen's for a comprehensive and insight-filled novel.

Highly recommended
4 stars. ( )

Wow, that does sound like a powerful book, Deb, onto the wishlist it goes! An excellent review as ever and a star from me.

Hope your back gets better soon :)

I've also read and highly recommend The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar. What a fabulous story teller and a great book about social class, the complexity of relationships and just wonderful writing. I have to strongly recommend this book too. It was a bit of a heartbreaker, not in the sense of romance, but just the subject matter. 4.5 stars!!!! Why did it take me so long to discover this wonderful author!

Okay, I'll try to pop around to some threads - and I'll try to get to yours. Hey, Dee, thanks for your kind words!

I'm quite sure what I'm going to read next. I had thought I'd like a great escape read, but I have so loved my past reads, I can't find a book to measure up as yet... ;)

good grief... how did I miss a thread change.

I am glad to see that you like The Space Between Us ... I have it here.. waiting..

I am currently reading and really liking The Magicians

Morning Deb- Good review of As Long As the Rivers Flow. I really like the sound of this one. You earned a Thumb.
I just finished a graphic novel by a Canadian writer. He wrote Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography. Are you familiar with Riel?

Hi Kath! Thanks for stopping by!! I think you'll enjoy The Space Between Us. Do enjoy The Magicians.

Mark- I loved the graphic novel Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography. I knew a little about Riel in passing, but now after reading the graphic novel and all of it's foot notes, I feel that I know Louis Riel quite well. Glad you enjoyed it!!

Hi Deb - Great review of As Long As the Rivers Flow! What a tragic, but all too common, story. The Space Between Us sounds interesting as well. I'll have to check that out.

Hi Deb: Two more books to add to my list. Great review of As Long as the Rivers Flow. I've read some nonfiction accounts of children taken from their families and sent to "Indian Schools," and they are heartbreaking. It sounds like Bartleman got it right.

Deb - where did you discover As Long as the Rivers Flow?

Deb, wonderful reviews! Bartleman sounds like he does a powerful job in As Long as the Rivers Flow. And delighted you also loved The Space Between Us - read that one a couple of summers ago and couldn't put it down. Thumbs!!

As Long as the Rivers Flow

Love the title and subject. Will be looking for this one :)

Hi Deb, I was just over at Anne's and caught your remark about reading February in February. Do it! I didn't realize you hadn't already read it, but it's just lovely. It was one of the first books recs I took from LT not quite a year ago. *this is me being "persuasive" - do it!*

Deb- Sorry, I didn't make that clear but I did not read Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, I just saw it mentioned in Brown's latest GN. It's on the List now, though.

And now you're HOT, my friend!

Another HOT girl :) I really liked your review on the Bartleman-book. Sounds like a very thought provoking portrayal of man's inhumanity to man. And India again? Ok I have to admit: I'm back in russia. Resurrection by Tolstoy

As Long As the Rivers Flow sounds really good Deb. Thumb for your review.

Hi Deb, sorry to hear you are having trouble with your back. Hope it's on the mend. As Long As the Rivers Flow is going on my wishlist. Great review.

Just dropping in to say that I really loved The Siege too - one of the highlights of my January reading.

Some of your other recent reads sound very powerful and interesting - both the Umrigar and the Bartleman.

Hi Deb, I am very, very sorry to tell you that we have no plans to travel to Hawaii for spring break... perhaps it's the other Anne...? Whoever it is, I'm jealous!

Hi Kerri ! Thanks for your kind words re As Long As the Rivers Flow and yes indeed, The Space Between Us was fabulous too! I'm going to be looking for more by both authors.

@32 Beth, you are in for a treat with both books if you add them to your list. Both books are sad in their way, but really worth the read. I really felt that James Bartleman did get it right.

@33 Joyce, I just happened to find As Long As the Rivers Flow at Chapter's book while browsing around and it captured my interest. I did read somewhere , afterwards, that the publisher has submitted the book for the Giller Prize - or some such Canadian literary prize. Where I read that , I'm not sure - Vancouver Sun, Globe and Mail, or McLeans? Anyway, I really felt it gave a great overview of the our First Nations people, and had a lot of strengths .

@34 Hey Nancy, yes both As Long as the Rivers Flow and The Space Between Us were fabulous reads. Thanks for the thumb:

@35 - Hey Cee! Thanks for your kind words . I hope you are having a great day.

@36 Ha Nancy! February in February. I might just try it! I just need a bit of an escape read for the moment though. I've read quite a few heavy books this past while. I need a bit of fun ....

@37 Hi Mark! Well, no problems - now you have a new graphic novel to add to your TBR pile!;) Let me know what you think about your current Chester Brown Novel.. I can't remember the title but I think it would be interesting.

@38 Nancy! LOL!!! Thanks!

@39 Hi Carsten! Yes, I've spent an inordinate time in both India and Mother Russia !!! Have fun in Russia, Comrade!!

@40 - Hi Bonnie! Thanks for the thumb.

@41 Thanks for stopping by Judy! Yes, I am continuing to have back pain which is limiting my time at the computer. Thanks for your well wishes. As for As Long as the Rivers Flowit is available at the Richmond Public library. I enjoyed it so much I was going to make a suggestion to the library, only to find that they already had it.

@ Hey Genny! I'm overdue for a visit to your thread. So glad that you enjoyed The Siege so much. It's stuck with me even now and is definitely one of my favourite reads so far this year. Interestingly, one of the reviews for As Long as the Rivers Flow described the first part as harrowing and hard to get through,but I did not find that to be the case - maybe because I had read a warning? The Space Between Us was kind of a heartbreaker for me, but really excellent.

@43 - Oh I think I must have mixed up you Anne's!!! Sorry about that!! By the way, my middle name is Anne :) Well, a girl can dream? ;)

Okay, just going to go move around and get the back of mine limbered up - plus my son and his GF have dropped by to visit. Off to see them!! Thanks for visiting my thread!! As for me ... you know you're old when.... your back acts up...sigh..................................and I claim to just be 29.

So glad you liked The Space Between Us!!

Sorry to hear about your back, Deb! Back pain is a real, well, pain. Hope it gets better soon.

Just catching up on your thread. I try not to read too much set in India but I might have to take a look at The space between us, that sounds good.
Hope you're feeling a bit better today.

Hahaha Deb you are just 2 years senior to SWMBO who has been stuck on 27 for a length of time it would be more than my life was worth to reveal!

@47 - Joanne - Yes I did love The Space Between Us. It's a new favourite for me.

@ 48 - Yes, Tania, back pain is a real pain. Until the past year or so I've never had back pain . I think if I just keep moving that will help it.

@ 49 Hi Kerry. I did love the book. You might want to take a look.

@ HI Paul! Dear Hani, just 27 ! You married such a young girl.... ;) Good thing you know your place with SWMBO!;)

Oh dear! My son just arrived home for the night and he got sprayed by a skunk on the way in. sigh. It's 12:30 am. It was a direct attack but quite close. Just soaking his clothes in vinegar as per instructions on the web, and his coat is in a garbage bag on the porch outside, to taken a dry cleaner in the morning. He is busy taking ahower. Argh! He said the skunk popped up as he got out of his car and ran past him and sprayed some yards ahead of him. SKUNKS!! UGH!

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is plain TERRIBLE~~~

Did he get clean? Will you have to soak your son in tomato sauce??
Would that even work? Poor him.. poor you!

My goodness! What an ordeal!

Oh no, Deb, not the dreaded skunk attack! It's been a few years since our dog got sprayed but the memory lingers...as did the smell. I think his leather collar is still hanging up in the garage.

Oh wow, did I ever love The Space Between Us when I read it several years ago. And now, she has another book out to savor. Life is good! Unless your back hurts, that is. My back is my weak spot and has bothered me off and on for years. Yoga helps!

Ha! Kath! I love your graphic!! I think my son would like to shoot that skunk if he could, and he used to be a vegetarian and we don't have guns! He was quite perturbed - as was I! Anyway, I put his clothes in a vinegar bath for a while , because that was the info on the internet suggested. Then I washed them in regular laundry soap. They seem to be fine. Dear son had a thorough shower and bath right away . That seemed to do the trick, except for his treasured styling winter wool overcoat that was a gift from his girlfriend ( son is nearly 22 ). That really seem have picked up the scent. . That we put into a garbage bag and put it out on the porch overnight and my son has taken it to the drycleaners to get it de- skunked. He was already gone when I got up, so I'll have talk with his later about how successful the drycleaner will be. But that is what the internet suggested. So we'll cross our fingers!;)

@54 Hi Kerri! Yeah, it was not what I or William were into last night, but what can you do! He parks on the street , and we often see skunks - but they usually do not spray. Poor guy, but I don't think it was a direct hit. William said he could hardly breathe, the smell was so bad in the are with the skunk.

@55 - Oh my ! Getting a dog hit by a skunk would be dreadful!!! There's no throwing them into the washing machine or taking them to the cleaners!! I don't envy you that at all. We often see a skunk when we walk out dog in the evening, but so far, no problem.
Donna, I really loved The Space Between Us too! She has about 4 or 5 books out - and I plan to read at least one other - perhaps her new one.

I'll pop by your threads later - the dog wants her breakfast!

I finally decided what my next read would be. It takes place in Denmark and is a so - called " Scandi Crime" in our library thing parlance!;)

I'm about 79 pages in and it promises to be fairly complex but a good read, so far as I can tell.

The Boy in The Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol.

Oh your poor son! Skunk smell is the worst!! Hope he got everything cleaned up and smelling better

Deb: I ended by liking The Boy in the Suitcase a lot although it was hard to read at times. The reality of abused/trafficked children is horrific. I'll be anxious to see what you think.

Hi Chelle! Well, I think his coat got the worst of it, somehow. He said that the skunk ran ahead of him -and then sprayed about 20- 30 feet ahead of him. When I see him later this evening, I'll know whether his coat was successfully treated. Everything else seems to be okay.

Hi Beth. I'm glad that you ended up liking The Boy in the Suitcase. So far I am okay reading it, but so far I know very little of the trafficked children. It may help that my sons are now in their twenties. I find for myself, certain topics are very difficult for me to read about, and others I can think of as " not that real." I have difficulty reading about recent widows as my mom is a fairly recent widow, and I miss my dad. And for some reason I have difficulty reading about incest - and I am thinking about A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore , who is an author I like. I'm just not sure if I can read about incest between a brother and sister. I can't imagine....I guess we are all different in what really hits us.

Oh Deb, that's disgusting! Skunk odors can be nauseating. Glad that most of it seemed to clean up ok. Thanks to the internet goddess!

>20 lit_chick:, 22, 42 I started The Siege a couple of days ago too! Looks like it's one of those that's going around....one of those contagious ones :)

Deb, hope you will enjoy The Boy in the Suitcase. Oh, gross, to the skunk episode. Glad you were so quick to figure out what to do, and hope the drycleaners can manager the rest.

Deb: My sister has been a foster parent for 30 years, so any abuse of children is really hard for me to read about; it seems too real. And I've seen too many little kids whose lives are ruined.

So how did they do with the coat?

Skunk smell is the worst!!

Chelle you've never been in close proximity to my brothers feet apres removing his working boots!

Hi Deb....why do skunks do that by the way and can I hire one for the weekend to go and see my MIL?

@61 - Yes, Cee, thank goodness for the ease of the internet to solve some of life's problems, like skunk at 12:30 am!:)

@62 Hi Megan! Yes, I think The Siege is going to be one of those contagious books too! I hope so ! It's spread from me to you to Nancy and Genny and apparently others were previously infected!;)

@63 Morning Nancy. The dry cleaner told William that he thought there would be no problem with his coat, so the skunk episode seems to have ended nicely . I'm v ery much enjoying The Boy in the Suitcase but it's a fairly complex plot with plenty of threads, so I've been writing down who is who and how they are related so far!;) I catching onto all of the players now that I am further in. I read that it has a " labyrinthine plot" and I'm not sure it's that difficult but you do have to follow all of the threads .

@64 - Oh Beth, that must be hard. I can understand why you stay away from child abuse books. It's great that your sister take in foster children. I know a fellow who takes in older male teens and I know those kids have heartbreaking backgrounds - what of it I know , and I can imagine how difficult it might be.

@65 Kath, Willliam was picking the coat today, but the dry cleaner felt it would be a okay, so I guess it will be!

@66 Hey there Paul, William says he saw the skunk as he often does , but this one got startled for some reason and therefore the spray. Sure, I'll trap one and send it the post to you!;) I'm sure that will work out perfectly!!:)

I'll try to get around to your threads later! Thanks for visiting!

HI Deb, Yuck about the skunk. I have noticed more and more of them around lately. I guess they are one of animals that adapt to living close to humans, like raccoons and coyotoes - all of which are plentiful around my house.

Hi Deb- I've heard some good reports on The Boy in the Suitcase. Sounds like you are enjoying it too! Might have to keep my eye out for that one. You know I love my crime books.

@68,, yes, I think you are correct, when you live in an urban or suburban area, skunks and raccons are plentiful, sad to say. I know where I am, we don't have coyotes, but if I were to go into a more wooded area, then yes, I might run across a coyote. I think the coyotes are more plentiful where you are, as I have lived in Delta myself for a several years. Scary, those coyotes, when one is walking a dog!

@69 - Mark, yes I think you would enjoy The Boy in The Suitcase - I am!

#68, 70 - Yes! I grew up in the 60s & 70s in Vancouver just two blocks from Central Park, and the only wildlife I ever saw in my yard was a robin. But here in New West I have racoons living in my cherry tree, my neighbours had skunks in their shed for a while, and coyotes definitely roam the area.

Skunk. Ugh. Poor guy (your son, not the skunk).

You've been doing some good reading lately --- The Space Between Us looks especially good!

Maybe it's from not being on the same continent as skunks or racoons, but this Australian thinks they're very, very cute. It's probably the distance factor. (Although I have smelt skunk before. Pee-ew!)

I'm definitely skipping The Boy in the Suitcase, phew! Dodged that book bullet with ease. :)

Maybe it's from not being on the same continent as skunks or racoons, but this Australian thinks they're very, very cute.

Oh yeah, MANY an Asian tourist has made that same mistake in Stanley Park. They're the same tourists that you see at the Vancouver Airport the next day with their hands and/or face in bandages saying "I'll never come back to Canada!"

Even worse are the tourists that get out of the car in Banff to pose with the cute bear at the side of the road.

But our bugs and reptiles are quite tame. Ah hem.

Oh, I'm not going anywhere NEAR a skunk or a raccoon if I see one! I'm aware of the biting and scratching ends, and that they're not domesticated. (My cats are domesticated, and they have five pointy ends, as we like to say.)

Even worse are the tourists that get out of the car in Banff to pose with the cute bear at the side of the road.

I'm sure there's a Darwin Award just for them!

Shush about our creepy crawlies. Just because we have 6 of the top 7 deadliest snakes in the world or something. We get redback spiders in our backyard, and I squish them pretty fast, after some choice swearing and girly screaming (last time Don came running, thinking I'd actually been bit, I screamed so loud from fright). Yet to come face-to-face with a funnel web spider, I don't think I'll be proud of myself or my behaviour when I do. (I'm pretty sure there will be screaming and swearing there, too.)

Hi Deb: Glad the skunk episode ended well. I'll be anxious to hear your final verdict on the Boy in the suitcase.

Nothing much to add... just trying to catch up and say hello!

Hello Deb. The skunk incident sounds very unpleasant. I have to admit to never having actually seen a skunk though I grew up with an awareness of them as stinky creatures from watching Warner Bros cartoons. I therefore have an idea of them as a kind of mythological, cartoon creature which I suspect is a million miles away from how your son views them!

>74 Nickelini: But our bugs and reptiles are quite tame. Ah hem.
lol

My WWII refugee grandmother kept on sailing when given the option of Australia or NZ as a new home, she didn't do snakes. So NZ became her home, along with my then 5 year old dad!

@71 Hi Joyce! Growing up I never enountered skunks or coyotes or racoons, except for one. Our next door neighbours were a little eccentric to say the least and the family decided to keep a raccoon as pet!!! It was just dreadful. I was about ? 10 or 11 at the time , and the raccoon was one vicious animal. I had two young toddler aged brothers and that raccoon could easily take down a toddler. I am not sure how the neighbourhood, never mind my parents allowed it to go one for 6 months or so, so I've been aware of how vicious racoons are since I was young.

@72 - Hi Elllen! Yes, The Space Between Us was an excellent story. The skunk episode is now a distant memory - it came out okay! :)

@73 - Tania, please do visit sometime soon! I can soon scare you away from raccoons and skunks and all of those dreadful vermin!;) The Boy in The Suitcase is really quite excellent! I'm a hard woman!;) hehe! :) I must admit that when my son was in grade 1, there was a murder at his school while he was in class. The school was undergoing a re roofing at the time and no - one had thought to background check the roofers. Anyway, apparently two of the roofers were involved in a drug deal gone wrong. So, one roofer was shot dead at the school and another was injured , but found several years encased in concrete. Anyway, it shook me up some to think that my son was on the property at the time, but I spent the following day at school with the police, school administration and School Board going over the whole thing with parents who were interested in debriefing with them.I held my youngest out of school for one or two days, but then I felt that I felt safe at the school, so I let him go back to school. I'm a fiesty sort when it comes to my kids being safe, but I don't know - perhaps over time you get used to various emergencies? My younger son got hit by a car and I nearly fainted when I saw him - he was 14 - but I knew that I had to keep it together for him as we headed off in the ambulance. He was fine , except for a bruise on his hip, where he had bounced off the windshield of the car. The car came up on the sidewalk. It kind of eroded my sense of pedestrian safety for quite a while,. I could tell you a few other hair raising stories, but essentially as a parent you have to keep your cool for the sake of your kids. Enough of that - even when they are in their twenties, as my boys are, stuff can still happen. sigh.

@74 I have to agree with you Joyce - I loathe creepie crawlies and I suspect they are worse in Australia!!! ;)

@75 - Okay, now you are scaring me with the Snake talk , Tania! Even simple garter snakes . I don't mind seeing them at distance , but I refuse to walk in long grass that may harbour garter snakes!!! Ugh!

@76 - Hi Beth! I'm nearly finished The Boy in The Suitcase and I'm enjoying my read. I've got another ? 50 pages to go , but I don't think anything could go to much more wrong that has not already gone wrong. Perhaps if my sons were not strapping young men it would spook me more, but I've been okay with it. ( crossing my fingers as I say my sons are strapping young men - actually when my nearly 22 year old heads off for 5 days to Hong Kong for 5 days with his girlfriend and her family, I'll get him to email me everyday. I used to get him to phone me and say a code word for everything is fine ,but he thought that I was too anxious, so I've had to drop that one. :) I can just imagine if one of my sons should go on a honey moon - I'll want them to email me every day - that they are fine. My own parents were not overly anxious , so I have to remember back to that.....

@77 - Thanks for stopping by, Kath! Hope you are doing well!

@78 Ha Dee!! You thoughts of skunks are those from Warner Brothers Cartoons! I suppose that 's how I viewed them too until they became urban pests!!!

@79 Hi Megan! I didn't know that NZ was free from snakes!! Interesting!

Thanks for stopping by!

I'll try to get around your threads later!

#80: Sounds like nasty experiences for you and your children. Years ago along with all the other mums, I dropped my oldest two children, then about 6 and 8 yrs old to their Jewish school, none of us realising that a crazy woman was inside stabbing their classmates just inside the gates. Her psychiatric doctor was Jewish so she ended up there seeking some sort of twisted 'revenge'. The children she stabbed were 7yr old twin boys from my son's soccer team and a couple of 8yr olds, they were only injured but it was a horrible incident. First I knew was my brother from down country phoning me at work to ask if my kids were alright. After this the security at the Jewish centre was tightened up and access was through a security gate with a guard on duty before and after school. The hero of the day was the slight Jewish studies teacher who confronted and disarmed the woman somehow, the other teachers were guiding the arriving pupils to areas of safety.

Yes, I love living in a snake-free country.

I've read a couple of Lene Kaaberbøl's YA books and really liked them so have had this new venture, The Boy in The Suitcase, on my radar. Looks like I'll read it soon.

@81 Wow, Kerry, I think your dreadful experience tops anything that I or my kids have experienced! It shakes you up for a while, but then as time goes on , one can usually put this things to the back on one's mind as just one of those horrible things that happens. For me, the murder at the school happened close to the end of the school day and the kids were held in the school until the police gave the go ahead -and actually I did not believe what some of the mom's were telling me happened , until it became rather obvious with police helicopters etc overhead. But they did catch the people who did it, and the police stayed at the school each day til the end of the school year, which was not usually done and it gave me a real feeling of security for my son and myself.

I had to double check on Wiki that you really don't have snakes! I seldom see them where I am - rarely , actually and garter snakes are harmless.

The Boy in Suitcase is definitely a good read! I'm still not quite finished it, but yes, its a good book! Who knew that Denmark could be such a " hotbed of crime!":)

Terrifying story, Kerry..

I don't mind snakes at all.. nor skunks or raccoons.. as long as they share my
live and let live attitude. We have all of them and I see all of them now and then
during the year.

Morning, Deb. So glad you are enjoying The Boy in the Suitcase : ). My reading has been slow the past while, and I'm not yet halfway through The Siege, but it's very good!

>43 AMQS:, 45 Just catching up on this thread, way behind, but I am sorry to have to clarify that I am also not the person going to Hawaii. Though it would be nice... I wonder who it is?

Ewww skunked. What an unpleasant surprise.

Picking up lots of book recs--not that i need them.

but I am sorry to have to clarify that I am also not the person going to Hawaii.

If a volunteer is needed, I'd be happy to go to Hawaii. Then the whole thing would be settled.

@83 - Hi Kath! Yes that is an scary story that Kerry has. I will ship you all of our vermin! ;) Or I would if I could!!;)

@84 - I've finished The Boy in the Suitcase as of last night. I really enjoyed it! I'm glad that The Siege is measuring up.

@85 AnneDC and AMQS I remembered a few days ago who is going to Hawaii and it's - drum roll please - EBT1002 - Ellen! Sorry to mix up your " names". I'll have to visit you puzzled Anne's threads later today and let you know , it is Ellen! Meanwhile, my son and his girlfriend are also now going to Hawaii for a week in April after both of them graduate from University. They are both going to Hong Kong in a week or so during reading week at University to visit his girlfriends extended families. When did these young adults get so rich!;)

@86 - Joyce! Thank you for throwing yourself on the sword and volunteering to go Hawaii if a volunteer is needed! ;) I'll keep that in mind!

I have finished The Boy in the Suitcase and I very much enjoyed it! A great addition to Scandicrime. I found it to be a compelling read . There were a number of threads initially, but it all came together very well. There were a few times when I thought - oh just call the police - but then I'd read that someone else had thought that too -so maybe I just got that thought from elsewhere. I feel that despite enjoying it as much as I did, I have to warn men that I felt the possibly more woman than men would enjoy the story. That's because the main crime solver was a woman and the story had much to do with - well, we'll say child trafficking. That said, most men on LT are not sexist like that, but I feel I should let people know that much.

I will definitely look for more by the author, Lene Kaaberbol as I understand that this may be a first in a series. 3.8 stars, which I'll round up to 4 with the stars. It 's always hard to star a book. For me a 3. 5 is just a decent read. I enjoyed The Boy in the Suitcase quite a bit more than a decent read. Recommended for Scandi Crime enthusiasts!

#88 Your recommendation works for me, Deb, although I have no idea when I might get to The Boy in a Suitcase. Anyway, I enjoyed your interesting comments. Doesn't look like you've posted this one.

Hi Nancy! I just made a few comments about The Boy in Suitcase rather than a proper review. Nancy, I think that you would like The Boy in the Suitcase quite a bit. I really did!

Hi Deb- I enjoyed your thoughts on The Boy in Suitcase. I'll have to get this one on the WL. I have so many crime series books to start, it's mind-boggling.

Good for you , Mark!I think you'll enjoy The Boy in the Suitcase . There is an excellent review of already on LT that explains it more thoroughly that my comments have.

Well, I'm thrilled to be about 25 % into Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum. She has to be my favourite Scandicrime author. So far the book is very dark. I so enjoy her psychological thrillers. She examines people so closely and so fascinatingly! I can't wait to find more time to get to read this book!

Sounds like another good one, Deb! I've got Karin Fossum on my list!

>91 msf59: I have so many crime series books to start, it's mind-boggling.
Me too Mark, although its not just the crime series books. It is books. I ridiculously got another book from the library today (was going past, it caught my eye, I couldnt help it!), and then bought one (I was with my mum, she gets 15% discount, I couldnt help it!). So have now officially got 6 books on the go! What am I thinking?

LT has got a lot to answer for :)

LOL, glad we solved the Hawaii mystery, though I am still sorry that it isn't me. After all that, I think maybe we should go. What do you think, Anne, Deb, Joyce? Maybe a big 75-ers vacation?

Bad Intentions is definitely exceeding even my expectations. Because it's fairly short novel - about 200 pages, I did not expect to find such an enthralling examination of three young men who have been involved in something that preys on their conscience in such different ways and with such insight. I thought maybe Karin Fossum had maybe just flung out a short novel, but I'm halfway through , and I'm thinking that this is on her best thrillers ever. I'm not even sure it's a thriller, but more of an examination of the consciences and how differently guilt affects or does not affect different people. It's EXCELLENT!

So, yes, Nancy, you must get to your Karin Fossum's! :)

@95 Hi Megan! Ha! 6 books on the go! Me, I've only got one book on the go at any one time. Yes , you are correct, LT has a lot to answer for.

@96 Hi! Anne, finally we have solved our very own mystery here on LT!!! Maybe one of us should write a book about the Mystery of Who is Going to Hawaii and Why is Vancouverdeb so mixed up about that. Yes, if only I could get on a plane, we could have a big LT Hawaii meet -up! LOL!

Hello Deb! I left the tenth Inspector Sejer novel in a charity shop last week because I've only read the first in the series but now I'm wondering if I should go back and see if its still there.

Oh, I read the first Inspector Sejer a couple of weeks ago and am already a fan.

Ohh Dee! I had not realized that Number 10 was out already, but I plan to make a purchase on my kindle of the next Karin Fossum book! They are just wonderfully done! Run back to that charity shop right away!

@99 Kerry, I'm delighted to find another Inspector Sejer Fan!!! I just love the series!

I was busy this evening , so I'm still only at about 60 % , according to my kindle, but I am loving Bad Intentions. What an intellligently put together story and scrutiny of three different youths and how they react. It's just fascinating!!!

Hi Deb! I don't know anything about Scandicrime, but I'm glad you're enjoying your latest reads. Perhaps I'll check this genre out some day.

I struggle with the 5-star rating system too. I thought about switching to a 1 to 10 scale this year, which would be more like letter grades and easier for me to apply accurately, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

I don't think I am a fan of this Scandicrime craze.. but no matter..
there are so many other books out there!

The problem with 10 stars is most sites, LT and Amazon for instance..
only allow 5 stars. At least here we can give a half star.. I like that!

Hi Deb- Kerri/Kath I don't think that it matters whether we use marks out of ten or five basically the idea is to give our pals an idea of whether we like the book or not. I use 10 but I see others using 5 but with half marks so it is effectively the same.

I use a 10 system and when something requires a 5 star system I divide in half and round down.

That made my head hurt morphy

Paul.. I do a lot of reviewing on Amazon, so I just like to keep it simple.
I do with they would allow half stars, too though.

#102 - 104 - Yeah - It's not a huge deal, but I still might switch to 10 and then convert it to the 5-star system. What's really annoying is sites like Goodreads where you can't use half stars!

Deb, you've sold me on Fossum and Inspector Sejer. Spent some time a couple of nights ago tracking down the order of the series : ).

You've got another LTer thinking about reading Karin Fossum, Deb. Which is the 1st Inspector Sejer? Or would you start with Don't Look Back? (That apparently was the first of hers published in the U.S.)

Hi Deb, finally caught up here. Wasn't expecting to read about a skunk when I opened your thread! Have a great weekend!

Just catching up. Sorry to hear about the skunk!

As Long as the Rivers Flow sounds like a very powerful book. Have you read The Rez Sisters? A bit of lighter First Nations read.. but well worth it.

Hi Deb - Glad you are enjoying your scandi-crimes. I will look for Lene Kaaberbøl's crime - and have Karin Fossum's novel in my mind also, when I come to women-scandi-crime-authors. It's men first, you know...I've actually quite unwisely started another scandi-crime - as I'm not finished with some other books... - it's Jo Nesbø's Redbreast. Very good so far (100 pages in)

Hi Deb: have been lurking and will now say hello :)

What Megan said:)

Haven't seen you lately.. hope all is well :)

@101 Hi Kerri! Thanks for stopping by! I just love " Scandi Crime " and I suggest you try out the genre if you like well written psychological thrillers! :)

@102 No, Scandi Crime is not for everyone, Kath, but I sure love certain authors, with Karin Fossum being my current favorite!

@103 Hi Paul!! I'm so fussy I try using 1/10's of a point, which you will notice if you look at my top post which lists books read and my different scores. My trouble I suppose is that most of the books I read are very good - so most of them hover around a 4. Some hit 4.5 - but many fall in 4.25 or 3.8. I just round up or down with the stars as I think it fits. Yes, you are correct in saying that mostly we are just giving our LT friends an idea of whether we liked or did not like a book.

@104 Morphy, I round up or down, depending on what I feel about the book. It's tough sometimes deciding how to rate a book.

@105 And 106 - Kerri and Kath, yes it makes one's head spin when it comes to rating books, doesn't it...

@107 - Nancy, you must do yourself a favour and read Karin Fossum. She knocked the last two books right out of the park!

@108 Joe! Do read a Karin Fossum. I've read all the books in the Inspector Sejer Series and all I can say is that she improves with each book. That's not quite true, but her most recent books that I have just read Bad Intentions and The Caller have been absolutely fabulous. Personally, I did not start with her first book because at that time I was unaware that she had a series, but for full enjoyment, yes, start with the 1st book. I'll have to check that for you.

@109 Hi Lori! Thanks for gracing my thread! Great to see you! I'll try to get around to your thread too!

@110 Hola Janice! Thanks for visiting... I have not read The Rez Sisters yet - but I have read Kiss of the Fur Queen by the same author, Tomson Highway. As Long as the Rivers Flow was a powerful read, but not too depressing. I recommend it!

@111 Hi Carsten! You actually live in Scandicrime country! Oh that must be spooky with all of the murders, child trafficking and what not going on!;)
I have Redbreast but I have not gotten to it as yet. It is one huge read! I must say that Karin Fossum writes some pretty intriguing psychological thrillers with plenty of insight into how the " bad guys" think. She uses to male detectives, so her books could easily be written by a man. Great stuff!

@112 Claudia, thanks for the big heart shaped bouquet of roses for Valentines! So lovely of you! Thanks again!

@113 Hi Megan! Thanks for lurking and delurking!;)

@114 You too, Bonnie! Thanks for stopping by!

@115 - Kath! Hi again, thanks for stopping by. I had a busy and somewhat chalenging week or week and half, but now I've found some time to update my thread and I hope to visit your threads soon too!

Thanks everyone for the visit, and I will try to get to your threads soon!

No review formal review for Bad Intentions but I'll make some comments.j

Bad Intentions was just fabulous!!! I had some reservations about it because it's only around 200 pages long and I thought - how much story can you fit in such a short number of pages, given that Karin Fossum usually writes around 300 pages . What a mistake on my part! I had also read reviews here on LT where folks felt that the relative absence of Detectives Sejer and Skarre made people feel that the book did not measure up.

Well, it's a FABULOUS read! I was so intrigued and impressed by Karin Fossum ability to write and give such psychological insight into a situation.

Essentially the story is one of three young men , aged 17 or so. The three of them are complicit in an unfortunate event. As time passes, Jon is hospitalized due to depression and anxiety related to that event. The other young men, Axel and Rielly take the hospitalized Jon on a weekend camping trip to lift his spirits. Tragedy ensues and Jon dies. From there, we get a frightening look into the psyches, flaws and ways that the three young man have and continue to deal with the guilt of two dreadful events. The writing is spare but wonderful and insightful.

A wonderfully done psychological thriller by Karin Fossum. I read it on my kindle, and so I have to simply rely on my memory for the details....

4.5 stars!

I also read Karin Fossum's next book, The Caller and it to was wonderful! I read it on my kindle as well .

Once again, I'll just write some quick comments on Karin Fossum's The Caller. It was once again a psychological masterpiece of a thriller. Now, I don't read Stephen King or that sort of thing, so my idea of a thriller might be different than someone else's idea.

The story takes place in a small town in Norway, were everyone feels very safe. One afternoon , a town resident puts her 8 month old infant out to sleep in her pram while mom works in the house. Later on, when mom and dad, Lily and Karsten Sundelin go to bring baby Margarete in from her pram, they find that baby Margarete is covered in blood. Although young Margarete is okay, we see how this cruel prank preys on Lily and Karsten's marriage , sense of safety and their emotions. This is just the beginning of many unexplained " pranks". Next comes a fake obituary of an elderly woman publicized in the the local newspaper. Once again , we are left to understand how this cruel prank affects the elderly women and her family. The acts of cruelty continue and accelerate from there.

The writing is spare, insightful and as in Bad Intentions we are left with some questions at the end of the novel.

An excellent read!!

4. 2 stars!

I seem to be on a mystery binge -and also a kindle reading binge - so I finally got to Raven Black by Ann Cleeves. Raven Black won at least one award , the former CWA Gold Dagger Award - now called Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award for the best crime novel of the year. It is the first book - yes - in a 4 part series of mysteries with Detective Jimmy Perez. It takes place one of the Shetland Islands. I'm about 70% through the book . It's an interesting look at a small community, and how such a closed community operates . I'd known very little about the Shetland Islands, but the book gives a great sense of the atmosphere.

Anyway, shortly after New Years, a teen-ager , Catherine Ross , a newcomer to the Shetland Islands, is found strangled to death near to a local eccentric's small shack. Suspicion falls on this eccentric and slow - witted man, Magnus Tait. However, I think there is more to the mystery than what I know right now.

While I am enjoying this book very much, it does not measure up to Karin Fossum.

Glad to see you back! Hope this week is a little more quiet for you :)

Cleeves didn't do it for me... at least not that series.. I am willing to try the next one though.. or maybe it was a previous one that I have been looking at?

Deb: You have been into crime this month. I know I have a Fossum somewhere on my shelves. I'll have to move it to the top -- or at least closer to the top - of the pile.

Hi Deb- The Fossum books sound great! I can't wait to get to the next one. It sure looks like she's very consistent. That's not always easy in series fiction. Hope everything else is going well.

Hi Deb! I was very interested in your review of Raven Black. I had it on my wishlist at one point but then took it off again. I can't remember if there was a particular reason or if I was just "pruning"!

Deb, wonderful to "see" you, my friend! LOVE what you've been reading and the comments you've made on Karin Fossum and her last two, Bad Intentions and The Caller. Sounds like you've got another good one on the go, too, with Raven Black; I've seen that cover here on other threads. Hope you enjoy!

Hi Deb, just stopping by to say hello.

Hi Deb, thanks for your comment son Karin Fossum -- she sounds wonderful!

Hi Deb. I really like the Anne Cleeve series, but I see you think Karin Fossum is better - I guess I better hurry and check out Karin Fossum, maybe next month for Mystery March I will try to include a one of hers.

Hi Deb - I adored the Shetland Island Quartet. I really hope Raven Black improves for you. The last two books were my favorites.

Good to see you!

@121 - Hi Kath ! Ann Cleeves has done a number of series of books, and some have been adapted into BBC productions . I more or less enjoyed Raven Black but I am not over the top about Raven Black. Enjoyable, but average.

@122 Hi Beth! Yes I have really been into Crime this month -and I think my next book is accidentally another book in of the murder variety;) Do read Karin Fossum. All of her books are very good, but the last two have been superlative!

@123 Hi Mark! I meant to wait until May Murder and Mayhem Month, but somehow I needed an escape into crime... Do read Karin Fossum

@124 Hi Dee . That's just a partial " review" or thoughts on Raven Black. I'll write a bit more at the end of this post.

@125 Hey there Nancy! Good to see you! Truly, you must give Karin Fossum a try. I think any of her books could be read as stand alones, but they are better in order. There were a couple of her books that were good but not excellent.

@126 Hey there Megan. Great to see you! I'm still waiting on GreatCoat by Helen Dunmore the minute it is released!

@127 Anne, I can't say enough about Bad Intentions and The Caller.

@128 I'm sure I'm going to read the at least the second in the Shetland Series by Anne Cleeves but Karin Fossum is so much better, in my opinion.

@129 Joanne, we have a lot of books in common. I was very glad to have finally read Raven Black as I 've read so many good things about it. Now I am finally satisfied that I have finished the book!

Once again, just to get myself caught up on LT, I'm just going to write some casual comments re Raven Black. In my post 120, you can see a partial review, done before I had finished reading the book.

I had really looked forward to finally reading Raven Black as I've seen so many recommendations here on LT as well as knowing that the book won the Gold Dagger Award . While I enjoyed it overall, it was not as dark and well written as I had expected. It started out quite strong, but the twist at the end of the book did not seem believable to me. The person found guilty of the crime did not seem to have had the character development that would have given motive nor personality to commit the crime. I found the end to be quite disappointing.

I will say that most likely I will read the second book in The Shetland Quartet in time. Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I have read 2 or 3 or the Louise Penny's Three Pines books and I tired of them ( sorry I know she had many fans). I will say that I found the characters in the book far less cliched than I have in The Three Pines books. In fact, I did not find the character's cliched in Raven Black.

I was really interested in learning more about the Shetland Islands while reading the book, and ended up on Shetland Island Tourism site and looking a pictures and lodgings :) What a fascinating , isolated place, more so than Canada's Newfoundland. Read Raven's Black just to learn more about the Shetland Islands - and it's not a bad mystery. The Shetland Islands are so isolated and off in the North Sea. While they belong to Scotland, they also have a strong historical tie to the Scandinavian countries.

Apparently the Shetland is were Fair Isle knitting originated.

Having one parent of Scottish Descent, and another parent of Icelandic Desecent, I was quite fascinated by the mix of cultures on the Shetland Islands. They have a Viking Celebration , called Up Helly Aa .

Overall, I did enjoy the book . I would say - come for the mystery - stay because you want to learn more about the Shetand Islands! :) 3. 5 stars.

I'd recommend the book with the caveat of a seemingly difficult to believe ending. I'll most likely read another book by Ann Cleeves.

This is not on the main review page - just comments so you have some idea of what I think the book is like.

Okay, here is my next book - and how I happened upon it. I've been eyeballing Whatever You Love by Louise Doughty in the bookstore. It is either short listed or long listed for the Orange Prize, so I thought she was likely a good writer. However, the heartbreaking subject matter turned me away - it is the story of mother's grief after losing her young child.

So, while browsing in Chapters Books , I came upon a bargain book by the same author, Louise Doughty. It is called Honey-Dew and I thought for $4.50 I would try it out. Well, turns out that the American Title is An English Murder. I had no idea!

Anyway, I've started into the book, and so far am finding it quite interesting. On the back of book jacket is says Ruth Rendell meets ( ugh) Ian McEwan. Anyway, apparently it's a dark satire of English Cozy mysteries. I'm not far enough into the book other than to say it is well written and I look forward to reading more.

Well, I hope that you are enjoying your serendipitous find! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

A few months ago I put some Cleeves books on my WL but haven't
even tried to get them. I have books aplenty at the minute. I found the series
you are reading dull.. boring.. but I was in the minority. Still.. I will have
another go at her one day.

Hi Deb, I'm glad to see the Karin Fossum love here. I've read two of her books so far and have enjoyed them very much. I plan to read at least one more of hers for March Mayhem. There are a few other mystery series than I am running behind in, so I need to pay attention to them as well.

Deb, I so enjoyed your comments at #130. Thanks for that! Enjoy your new find Honey Dew.

I received Whatever you Love as an Early Reviewers copy. Wonderfully written but boy was it harrowing?! I don't think I'd have got past the first page, if I hadn't had to write a review. I'm glad I did because it ended up being an intensely absorbing read but recommended only if you're in the mood to be harrowed! It probably didn't help that one of my children was the same age as the child who died in the book when I read it!

Honey-dew sounds an easier read!

Edited to add: actually on reflection, I would recommend Whatever you Love to you, Deb as you like psychological fiction and you seem to be able to cope with the child abductions and deaths in Karin Fossum's novels. It is a very intense book. I couldn't stop reading it once I'd got past the first chapter and came out blinking, breathing for air and very grateful for my own life!

Hi deb! Just popping in to say hello!

Hi everyone my Internet is down so sorry I will try to check in later. Thanks

Hi Deb. Have been away from your thread far to long. Enjoying you reviews in the mystery genre. The Caller sounds very interesting. Is it different detectives investigating and is The Caller a good entry point to the world of Karin Fossum or do you recommend something else?

The Shetland Islands remind me of the Faroe Islands that I've visited a couple of times. Very remote and beautiful, more north than the Shetland Islands. It has been a part of Denmark although they are now almost independent.

Another hello from a fan, Deb!

Catching up and waving hi Deb. Hope the internet peps up again soon, its no fun being down.

Hi Deb -
Some good reading here! I have Raven Black to read and am much interested in the Shetland Islands (and now the Faroe Islands). Thanks for the reminder of that Cleeve series :) Now to find the time. Oy!

Hi Deb, hope you are still not having computer/internet problems.

I have set up the thread for Mystery March. Hope to see you - and everybody - over there.

> 139 Id love to visit the Faroe Islands. And some of the other remote islands around there.

Hi Deb - trying to catch up and realised that I haven't contributed too much lately despite reading regularly! Glad to see you had enjoyed Fossum so much and Inspector Sejer is a quite typically morose Scandi tech.

Remote windswept islands like the Faeroes and the Shetlands greatly appeal to me too - in theory at least. Have a nice weekend and I hope it is not so cold there.

Remote windswept islands like the Faeroes and the Shetlands greatly appeal to me too - in theory at least. Have a nice weekend and I hope it is not so cold there.

Me too! I love the thought of all those obscure islands. Just read The Book of Lies, which is set on Guernsey. So obscure, and so exotic to me. Although the teenage narrator thinks it's the ultimate boring place.

I live close to Deb, and I think we had a lovely--although very windy day. Spent several hours in my garden trimming shrubbery. Delightful. But not exactly warm.

Joyce - sometimes I would give a pretty penny to have fresh, cool air on my face. Don't have the benefit of four seasons over here and I miss them terribly on occasions, especially as last night the airconditioning in the bedroom is not at its finest and SWMBO has a slight fever with her body heat giving me problems to sleep!

Paul - ah, yes. I learned to appreciate the 4 season climate after having 3 summers in a row. The tropics are fabulous, but the body needs a breather.

Hi Deb. I'm so far behind it's not even funny, but I will say that Karin Fossum is working her way onto my list of authors to explore. Thanks for the reviews!

@133 Hi Kath! I'm afraid that my find of Honey-Dew was not as serendiptious as I'd hoped! sigh!;) Honestly, Raven Black did not measure up to my Karin Fossums, but I still enjoyed Raven Black. I'm sure I'll read another in the series....

@134 Oh Donna! You are in for a treat with Karin Fossoum. Enjoy March Mayhem! I'm sure I can fit a little more murder and mayhem in March! :) I can always find a little room for murder and mayhen, so long as it stays in a book!

@136 - Hey Nancy, always glad to be of help, if I am.....

@136 - Dee, Whatever You Love scares me ! I think I would find it harrowing too. I don't mind a few deaths here and there, but when the focus is just on a mother's grief, I think that would a very tough read! By the way, I''m about 2/3 of the way through House of Orphans by Helen Dunmore as recommended by you. I' m very much enjoying it!

I already lost one post. so I am separating them so I don' lose a huge reply! Thanks everyone for being so kind as to visit my thread in my absence. My internet server went down for close to 24 hours, then I developed a cold with a sinus infection that is hurting even my teeth. I have not felt like doing much at all over the last few days. It is still bothering me, but tonight I just watched " Criminal Miinds " and my husband brought a big bowl of chocolate ice - cream. That was nice...

@137, Chelle! I have to get over to your thread and see how the new home owner is doing! So exciting! :)

@139 Great to see you Carsten! All of Karin Fossum's books feature Inspector Konrad Sejer ( an older wiser fellow ,about 50 - 60 years old, and his partner, the cheerful, courteous, curly haired younger Detective Jacob Skarre. BTW - I just discovered in one of my last books that Jacob Skarre is the son of a vicar, which explain shis courteous easy manor, according to the books :) The series vary in the amount the the two inspectors feature. Some tell a fair bit about their inner lives, other books really leave then in the backgrond - as in The Caller and Bad Intentions. Either way, they are superb books! I always prefer to read my series in order, but I must admit that I did not start this series in the correct order. Bad Intentions and The Caller could easily be read as stand alones. Most of them could be read as stand - alones.

Ohhh Carsten, how cool, visiting the Faroe Islands. As I read Raven Black I was thinking that they would be close to the Faroe Islands!

@140 Hi Joe! I'll have to get around to your cafe! That bowl of chocolate ice cream has only whetted my palated :)

@141 Hi Leonie! Great to see you! Yes , I was VERY frustrated with my internet server being down . By way of apology they have credited my account with $10.00. I understand that it was a big outage. sigh.

@142 - Claudia, great to see you too! I ended up on the Shetland Island Tourist Website and looking at accommodations on the Shetland Islands after reading Raven Black. It's really fascinating! Very remote and many of the buildings very ancient. I think I'd have some sort of claustrophobia if I visited as I am not a isolated place fan!;) But very interesting to visit via the net.

@143 - Boy, it has been very windy, Judy! Yes, I'm sure that you will see me the Mystery March thread. In fact I may well read the second installment of Raven Black - I'm not sure of it's name.

@144 Hi Megan! I'd love to visit Iceland, and all sorts of places, but my plane phobic precludes that! But yes, the Faroe Islands and Shetland Islands sound most interesting.

@145 Good to see you Paul! Inspector Sejer is relativey cheerful and has a new dog name Frank something... I forget!;)

@146 Joyce, good to see you! Yes it has been very windy indeed , gusts up to 70 km/hr here today. No big problems but my husband was walking out small dog, and he said she nearly blew away. As for the Guernsey Islands, I have a feeling as much as you and I might like to visit them, I can completely understand how much a teenager would wish to leave. My husband lived his teen years in Sechelt and he said it bored him silly and he was never so glad to move away from home to Burnaby and attend school over here. When we would go and visit his parents, he would made quick work of telling how boring the place was. I guess it's for some and not for others.

@147 - We've had plenty of fresh air here! Come on to Canada - or anywhere out of the tropics and enjoy the cool air . Hey, but you have air conditioning don't you? You are set!

@148 Joyce, in our part of Canada, most would argue that we don't actually have 4 seasons , like most of Canada does. I think we have rain, more rain, less rain and maybe summer with less rain. :)

@149 Thanks for visiting Ellen! I hope you had a great holiday! I too am hopelessly behind!

Here is my review for Honey-Dew by Louise Doughty, which I plan to put on the main page review page too.

Honey-Dew or it's more aptly American titled An English Murder is a quirky tale.

Author Louise Doughty makes the assumption that English murder mysteries concern a murder within a small closed community, such as a small English Village, and thus the evil lies within. Conversely, she makes writes this book with the assumption that American Murder stories find darkness and evil on the outside. Honey-Dew is a somewhat puzzling , dark satire based on these beliefs. Additionally, Louise Doughty focuses on the on the investigator, rather than the murder. In this, she believes that she has really turned the " mystery story" on it's head.

This book was published in 1998, so perhaps this view of mystery novels in England vs America is dated. I can think of many so called " cozy mysteries written by non -British writers that fit Louise Doughty's English murder model.

Through out the book I felt at distance from the story and I never felt any attachment or sympathy for the characters. There were moments when the satire clicked with me, but overall it was a very average and somewhat boring read.

3 stars.

I'll try to catch up on your threads later on! Thanks so much for visiting!

Currently I am just over 1/2 way through another book by Helen Dunmore. As recommended by Soupdragon aka Dee, it is House of Orphans. I am very much enjoying it. For some goofy reason I thought that is was a book about a house of orphans in England during WW11 . Very silly assumption my part. In fact the young girl, Eeva has been orphaned as a young child in Finland, during 1901, during the start of the fight of Finland from the " Russification " of Finland. The books begins in one direction , and takes quite a turn just about half through. I'm finding it very interesting!

Deb is back! Deb is back! And I hope you are feeling much better. House of Orphans sounds very good. How do we ever keep up? Huh?

Sorry about Honey-Dew :( It really disappoints me to not find a
connection with the characters, or at least a few of them. Glad the
next one is better for you. I am trying to catch up on Vine reads, and I have a
great pile of freebie ereads loaded in various places that I am interested in reading.
Soon I hope to be able to concentrate :P

Hope you feel much better soon..

Deb: I hope you're feeling better. House of Orphans sounds great. I think The Betrayal is the next Dunmore I'll read, but I'll add this one to the list. She certainly has a lot of fans here. I'm also going to try a Karin Fossum in March.

Thumb for your Honey Dew review, Deb. Thanks for saving me some reading time on that one, hehe! Enjoy House of Orphans - I know how much you enjoyed your other Dunmore adventures this year.

Joyce, in our part of Canada, most would argue that we don't actually have 4 seasons , like most of Canada does. I think we have rain, more rain, less rain and maybe summer with less rain. :)

There are years when that is true!

Hi Deb! I'm glad your outage problem's been sorted. I should be embarrassed to admit it but I'm never really sure what outage means- but it does sound nasty ;) I hope you're feeling better now, too.

I'm also glad you're enjoying House of Orphans. I think the title is misleading as Eeva leaves the orphanage so early in the book and it threw me a bit too.

Honey-Dew sounds like one which can be safely ignored! I think you're right to trust your instincts on Whatever you Love, too.

Hi Deb. I hope the sick bug has moved on. Wow, even your teeth hurt. Now, that's sick! Chocolate ice cream helps with many things. Dave was undoubtedly happy to take care of you this time.

The Helen Dunmore book looks good. She has quite a range. Must read more by her.

@ 156 Hey there Mark !!! Thanks for visting my thread!!! Great to see you man!

@157 Kath, yes, Honey-Dew was quite a disappointment. It had a few interesting moments though. Not a dead loss. Thank goodness it was relatively short.

@158 Hi Beth. I think that you would enjoy both Karin Fossum and Helen Dunmore. They are very different authors,but both excellent.

@159 - Nancy, yes, it's always nice when someone else can read a lousy book for you and advise against it. I'm quite certain that you have done that for me too! :) House of Orphans is quite intriguing. I really am enjoying one of characters who has dreadful fault, but I can still feel sympathy for that person. That's saying something for the writer.

@160 - Yes, sad to say we do have a climate of rain and more rain and less rain! Today we had a sudden short blast of hail and snow. That was very weird! Now it's sunny.

@161 Dee, an " outage " or whatever of your internet means that your internet provider is having some sort of a problem. It's like having the power go out, except it's confined to internet access. Why that happens, I don't understand either! I phoned and they said " we are having a problem with a phone box'. I have no idea what that means except that my internet is comes in through the phone cables. The phone worked fine. I dunno! Yes, I suppose that the title is misleading, but I never thought of that. I'm very much enjoying House of Orphans and nearly finished.

@ Oh Donna! The sick bug has not moved on. I'm trying to summon up enough energy to have a shower. That is bad! My son came from Hong Kong today and he left me a note saying " I will chat to you later, because you are fast asleep." True enough, sad to say. I will see him later. I agree, Helen Dunmore does have quite an amazing range. I'm fairly sure that House of Orphans was longlisted for the Orange Prize, in addition to her book The Siege which was shortlisted, I think and A Spell of Winter which took the Orange Prize quite a while back. Yes, chocolate ice cream can have many cures!:)

Hi Deb, lousy Internet connections are a real problem to those of us who depend on it to keep up with our bookish friends. Let's hope they keep it under control. I've got another Dunmore on my shelf that I've been meaning to get to (Zennor in Darkness). House of Orphans looks like another good one.

You have my total sympathy when it comes to internet issues.
Mine is usually okay, but it sometimes goes out when my phone does.
A Spell of Winter is a beautiful title. It makes one want to read it :)

Hope you are feeling better today ..

Good morning, Deb! Popping in to say hi. I hope your sick bug clears up soon!

thank you

Morning, Deb, hope you are feeling much better! Look forward to hearing more about your present adventures in reading.

Hi, Deb!

Bad news on feeling so off, hope you pick up soon as possible and regain that energy, at least enough to lift a book?

Hi Deb,
So sorry you have been so unwell :P
Hope you perk up and feel better soon.
*can't believe the choc ice cream didn't cure the illness???*

Helen Dunmore is a newly discovered author for me. Can you believe it? Have heard the name before - but what an awesome writer! Just finished The Siege and now I find there is a follow-up ... not to mention the others mentioned above. I'm in sweet trouble ;-)

Hope you're feeling better now, Deb and that you were able to enjoy seeing your son when he returned. What unfortunate timing!

Hi Deb - getting caught up here and sorry to learn that you have been sick. Hope you are feeling better.

***waves from the island to the mainland***

Any news on the health front? Hope you're well.

Hi Everyone! Just been a combination of not feeling that well and being busier than usual! Thanks for visiting my thread!

@ Bonnie, House Of Orphans was a great read. I recommend it very much! It's an interesting book about a part of history that I had not known about , and the other thing is that House of Orphans somewhat covers a taboo subject in a sympathetic way. Helen Dunmore is definitely a very flexible and talented writer.

@165 Kath, I'd like just a "Spell of Winter" as in two days of it! ;) As for the book, Spell of Winter I've put it off because it covers MAJOR SPOILER HERE - incest between a brother and sister. That kind of makes my skin crawl. However, seeing how Helen Dunmore handled a possibly off putting character in House of Orphans - I think eventually I will get to it!

@166 Hi Beth. More or less my sick bug is all cleared up - just weary lately...

@167 You are welcome!

@168 Hey Nancy! Great to see you!

@169 Hi Joe! Well past time that I visited your cafe!!!!

@170 Yes, thank you Megan, I have felt well enough to lift a book, but the one I'm reading is really dry!!!!!

@171 Claudia!! Helen Dunmore is an awesome author indeed! Betrayal is the sequel to The Siege. It's out in paper back, I saw it my local book store...

@172 Yes, my son William has returned, sort of. His girlfriends parents stayed on in Hong Kong for an extra week, so William is staying his girlfriends parents place, as she is anxious by herself. What a wild freewheeling parent I am! But, they have been dating for nearly 4 years and both will graduate from university in a couple of months, so you know - you have to go with the flow!;)

@ Hi Lori!! Great to see you! Waving from the rainy mainland!!;) I'm reading Harperland by Lawrence Martin and it's plenty depressing as you mentioned. It's also a little dry... However, I sure understand that tyrant a little better now!

@174 Oh Chelle! You are so kind! What sweet image!!!! I hope you move to Nova Scotia is going okay!:)

@175 Megan, I am fine, Just weary and having trouble with pain in my back if I'm at the computer to much.

You are all the best! Thanks so much for visiting, and I'll try to get around a little later!!! Hugs to all!

Meanwhile, I finished House of Orphans by Helen Dunmore a few days ago. It was a wonderful read, and I'm not sure why more people have not read the book, which I think is something that Dee, Soupdragon mentioned in a fairly recent review of hers. I am just going to stick to a few comments. It's a really interesting book on many levels. It's historical fiction, that takes place in pre WW1 when Russia was planning to take over Finland. While it's about that, it's also an interesting book on many levels. Initially, the book covers a young girl, the daughter of a revolutionary and she is taken into a Finnish Orphanage, following the death of her father. Eeva, the young teen spends time in the orphanage, but soon enough becomes the housekeeper of a widowed physician. Initially , that is a good situation, but over a short time a character flaw in the physician is revealed, though very sympathetically. I found that Helen Dunmore can write on almost taboo subjects with taste and insight.

Just about 1/2 way through the book, the gears shift and young Eeva finds her way back to Helsinki and once again finds herself in the midst of revolutionaries, and she has a challenging time navigating that situation. Over all another wonderful book by Helen Dunmore.

4 stars, and for those that are interested, House of Orphans was also long listed for the Orange Prize. Much recommended!

Thanks to Dee for the recommendation.

This is not on the main page - just some quick comments by me to catch up!

Currently I'm about 1/2 through a non-fiction book about our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who I don't like and I find him to be far to right wing and a tyrant and a bully. Anyway, as much as I find the book dry, it certainly sheds light on our PM and had I read it back in 2010, I would have been able to predict a lot more of what he has done is Canada. Canadians, if you value democracy, do read Harperland : The Politics of Control by Lawrence Martin. Yes it's dry and kind of depressing, but don't be fooled by Harper! Vote him out!!!!!!!! The Robocall scandal is what pushed me to finally read this book. It's not pleasurable reading and it is somewhat dry -but oh boy am I learning a lot!! And I don't think it's biased, because the same author wrote a book on the Liberals and the sponsorship scandal. I'm trying to get through it fairly quickly but I'm not loving it. It's more like an assignment!!!

Harperland by Lawrence Martin

Hi Deb. I'm so glad you're feeling better but know that these things can make you feel lethargic for a while afterwards especially if you have lots to do.

I'm also really pleased that you liked House of Orphans. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on it and your comment further above about wanting just a spell of winter made me smile! I read A Spell of Winter too long ago to say much about it but have a vague memory of it being intense, atmospheric and a little disturbing!

Morning Deb- We miss you when you are away. Brace yourself, but I did pick up The Betrayal from the library. I hope to get to it, in the next week or so. See, I come through on occasion.
I did not know that about Harper. Those wingers are everywhere, aren't they?

thanks for taking one for the team and reading Harperland, so the rest of us don't have to. He-devil! ha! I'm not going to read it, because I knew how he'd behave with a majority, and I'm not surprised, just further disgusted.

What did you think about the House of Orphans ending? A little rushed?

Deb: I'm glad you're feeling better. I am a Dunmore fan, too. The Betrayal is the next one of hers I want to read. House of Orphans sounds fascinating, too, though.

I will pass on Harperland. I have enough political stuff to read because this is an election year in the US; we have our own scary guys running!

Deb, great comments on House of Orphans and on Harperland. You are officially my go-to Canadian political-scientist. I am astounded at the levels of government corruption that is everywhere; most depressing, which makes me admire your tenacity all the more!

Sorry Deb but I will pass on the Harper book. I have no interest in politics, unfortunately it seems like it's one devil or another and we get stuck picking the one that seems to do less damage instead of the other way around.

Deb, your reading the Harper book has made me ponder on how much we hear about American politics in the UK and how little about Canadian. I know nothing about Harper but from what you say he wouldn't be getting my vote!

Hi Deb, just wanted to let you know that at least four of us are going to start reading Karin Fossum this month, over at the Mystery March thread. Perhaps some of our reasons for picking her up at this time are because of your great reviews of her.

Regarding Harper, I also think he is a control-freak and bully. The Conservatives are so quick to respond in a negative way when questioned. Their reaction to the robocalls seems to be overly calculated and too much buster to be believeable.

Hi Deb - great to see you are recovered and back posting on LT! I haven't read Harperland so I think it was another Lori that gave you the heads up about the book. I tend to avoid books about politics and based on what you have mentioned so far, I will happily continue my avoidance of political books!

@179 Hi Dee! Yes, I loved House of Orphans as I said! Thanks again for the recommendation!

@180 - Mark, where are the smelling salts! At last you might get to The Betrayal! Good for you! :)

@181 Ah Elizabeth! A girl after my own heart - Harper is indeed a he -Devil. The more I read the more disgusted I am. He is the bully and tyrant that I have always thought, but even more so. He has had connections and quite a lot of advice from the Republicans in the US and has really taken a page from their playbook. He thinks wedge politics and negative ad campaigns are a good thing , so long as it gives him power. I loathe the guy - but this book really brings all kinds of things to my attention. Elizabeth, when Harper got a majority, I was in a major funk for a week, that's how depressed his win made me!!!! Maybe he did not actually get a majority though.... I hope there is a proper investigation into the Robocalls. Why do Canadians vote for Harper??? That's a mystery to me.

As for House of Orphans - no, I don't think that I felt that the ending was a little rushed. I've become accustomed to Helen Dunmore leaving an open sort of an ending.

@182 Hi Beth! I know, those scary guys in the US!!! Personally I think Obama is fine, but our guy, Harper - SCARY!

@183 Thanks Nancy. Yes corruption is everywhere in politics. Actually I don't believe it is everywhere, but certainly in the Harper Government. I did not mind Stephen Dion and if this book is too be believed, Stephen Dion, while not charismatic perhaps, was sincere and could not lie, as it was just not a part of him. Same with Elizabeth May. I can understand your frustration with Christie Clark. I recall when she was minister of Education sometime ago. Time for a change in BC. The BC Liberals are too closely tied to the Federal Conservatives.

@184 - Hi Chelle! I have a huge interest in politics, nurtured by my grandfather, I suppose, who was big on campaigning for the Progressive Conservatives and even the Federal Liberals when a close friend of his ran for MP in his riding. I caught the bug when I was young.

@185 - That's interesting, Dee, that you hear so little about Canadian Politics compared to the US politics. However, we are a much smaller country and up until lately I think Canada has had good government - it's just now when the Regressive Conservatives have been in power that the Canadian Government has really concerned me.

@186 Hey Judy, thanks for stopping by!! I'd love to join you in reading a Karin Fossum except I have read everyone that she has written! Thanks for letting me know though. Good to know that you are anti Harper! Maybe the cough cough erhem - BOOKWORM CLASS is to bright to vote for Harper! :)

@187 Hi Lori. Hmm - maybe it was LynnB who read Harperland. I have a history of mixing up names on LT - just ask the two Anne's - AMQS and AnneDC and EBT1002. Who ever it was said she had to read it in between something less depressing. I think I've got to just plow through because otherwise I'll be enjoying the other book too much! But it is definitely interesting and eye - opening reading! I challenge anyone who has voted for Harper to read this book and then ask themselves if they would vote for Harper again .

Oh yes, I am political -but I try to hide it!.....

Thanks so much for visiting!

Deb - nice to see you well and posting with some regularity again!
You have become a great advocate of Helen Dunmore and I have noted that her writing is maturing like a fine wine. All the best to you and your family.

Hi Deb, Just wanted to say hi. Good to see you posting again. I've started my first Fossum book (one of the four Judy mentioned above!).

So far, so good.

Hey there Paul, good to see you! Yes, I have really come to admire Helen Dunmore and I've ordered her latest book from the Book Depository, The Greatcoat. I also ordered The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker from the Book Depository. I just could not wait -though it will take about 2 weeks to get here. And I'm going to try to leave The Detour until we can have a group read. You remember how much I loved The Twin by the same author?

Hi Joanne! Enjoy your Karin Fossum - I'd love to join you in the group read, but I've read every thing that she has written! :)

I'm just about finished Harperland by Lawrence Martin and then I think I'll escape to a little Murder and Mayhem.

Deb, you sure are a Fossum fan. I have When the Devil Holds the Candle home from the library and will probably read it next week end.

It's doubtful I can get a copy of The Detour before the end of April. Is that when you're planning to do the group read? I'm hoping to borrow it from another library. My library doesn't even have a copy of The Twin. Shocking, isn't it? I have a problem buying those short books I can read in a day or two - no matter how good they are. I just need to have a little more bang for my buck. It comes from spending most of my life with a CPA!

I honestly can't read any political books. No matter which side, it makes me so hoppin' mad!

Hi Deb!
Hope you are feeling all better now... at least you are more active, so that's a good sign :)

Helen Dunmore - what a find for me! Gave my Mom The Siege to read and she liked it a lot too. Being 88 y/o with a small appetite, it wasn't the lack of food that got her as much as the cold and no heat! Ah, old ladies ;-)

Hi Deb,

Have you seen this website?
http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/
Yann Martel started it to run alongside his pet project of sending Harper a book (a week?) to protest arts funding cuts. It is a very interesting site!

Hi Deb, just catching up :)

Excellent book buying, Deb ;)

Oh, and I like the phrase the bookworm class!

@193 - Yes, Donna, I'm just crazy about Karin Fossum. Most of her books are quite evenly spectacular, but there are a few exceptions in some her earlier books . I still much enjoyed them but I could really see her writing mature. Yes, several people have expressed a group read of The Detour so I will attempt to hold off until til The Detour is released in the US and Canada. I just good not wait! I'm wondering what those geese on the front of the cover -that slowly die off are all about!! I so excited about The Detour!!:)

@194 Ha! Morphy, our older son was over this evening and we got on the topic of politics and I started talking about Harperland and after a while I got so heated about Harper, our Prime Minister - who I dislike more and more each day, my son started to laugh that I was so worked up about all it.LOL!

@195 Oh! Claudia, I'm so excited that you have " discovered" Helen Dunmore, and The Siege in particular. I think it's her best book. I'm trying to remember how to make an author a favourite , as I've read enough of her books to call her one of my favourite authors. That said, I think she may have written the odd book that would not appeal to me. I hope your mom enjoys the book!

@196 Oh yes, Megan, I even own the book on What is Stephen Harper Reading. There are a group of people here on LT how are trying to read all the books recommended to Harper by Yann Martel. While I don't think I could get through the recommmended books, I should look again at what Yann Martel recommended to Harper and why. Thanks for that!!

@197 Hi Kath! Great to see you!

@198 LOL! Dee - yours is a dangerous thread for me to visit!!!!

Yes - we are all part of the " bookworm class." LOL. Hold your heads high!!!

Review for

Harperland : The Politics of Control by Lawrence Martin.

Are you like me? Are you wondering what happened to the Canada that you knew and loved?

Have you been puzzled about why Harper left a Canadian child soldier,Omar Khadar to rot in Guantanamo Bay rather than extradite him home to Canada , against the dictates of the United Nation?

Have you wondered why the funding to the CBC had been lessened - well, Harper feels that the CBC has too much of left wing agenda , and so he has cut their funding.

Have you wondered why Canada's social safety net has been gradually being eroded?

After Parliament was prorogued as per Harper, did you become concerned for democracy in Canada?

Or, lately like me, though you had never voted for Harper, the Robocall Dirty Tricks, which might have affected the outcome of the last Canadian Election finally made you decide that you had to pick up a book like Harperland: The Politics of Control and try to gain some understanding of the very unsavory man who now rules over us?

I'm not usually one to read a somewhat dry book about politics, but this latest edition of Harperland , which was updated just after Stephen Harper won his majority is the book to read and understand the direction that Canada is heading, and it's a scary direction.

So much of Harper's background and thinking is explained in this book. Harper was once the Head of the National Citizens Coalition, and one thing that the group campaigned for was privatized health care. Now I understand why Harper is gradually decreasing the Federal Health Tranfers gradually over time and all our Premiers are enraged.

Notice the constant wedge politics and negative ad campaigns of the Harper Conservatives? Well, Harper has sought advice on how to run his campaigns from the US republicans.

Harper has a family history of loving the military, thus money for F-35, which so far come with no price tag. Had it been up to Harper, we would have been in the war in Iraq.

Harper wants power, and has a ravenous desire for power. He's one scary guy. He believes in far right policies , but so as not to scare Canadians, he is bringing in changes incrementally.

There is an amazing amount of information about Harper, not much about his personal life, but rather so many people that have worked with or for Harper have been willing to speak to the author. I trust the information in the book, because the author wrote a book against the Liberals, which concerned among other things, Jean Chretien and his Sponsorship Scandal. I don't think the author, Lawrence Martin is partisan in his writing, but rather seeks to find the truth through multiple sources.

At the end of the book, the author has compiled 12 pages of notes concerning the sources of information that he used for his book. Where a question cannot be answered with an absolute yes or no, which is not infrequent, author Lawrence Martin will admit that.

I'm left wondering , have my fellow Canadians changed to become more right wing - or is Harper slowly steering us to the far right?

Either way, I am scared for Canada.

4 stars.

After that depressing review , I've moved on to a more cheerful mystery by Susan Hill. It's called The Betrayal of Trust - which ironically could have been a title for Harperland too! ;)

I've always enjoyed Susan Hills mysteries. They are mysteries yes, but concern so much more. This book, which I am about 75 pages into promises to look into social issues, such as the need for hospices, the horrors of motor neuron aka Lou Gehrigs Disease or ALS, being elderly, and assisted suicide. Sounds bright and cheerful, doesn't it! :) I always enjoy a mystery combined with thoughtful social commentary.

The Betrayal of Trust

#200 - Deb - If Canada doesn't get it together, where can I threaten to move to if Romney or Santorum become president?! Ha! I seriously looked into moving to Canada in 2004, but I wouldn't have made the point system. My husband and I were just joking about how one of us needs to get a PhD, so we get more Canadian immigration points. (P.S. DorsVenabili=Kerri, rather than Beth)

Hi, Deb. Having finished Don't Look Back, I'm a Karin Fossum convert, and I just started The Siege, which is very good so far.

@202 Oh so sorry Kerri, to mix you up with Beth!!! There are so many aliases to keep up with!;) Oh please come to Canada if Romney or Santorum becomes president!!!! Oh gosh I sure wish you had enough " points " to move to Canada. I think that Obama is going to get a second term in the US though. The offerings of the GOP are pretty slim! Come and help me vote Harper OUT!!! Thanks heavens I live on the so called left Coast ( the west coast).

@203 Ohhh Joe! Glad to hear that you hare a Karin Fossum convert -and The Siege is great. Enjoy!

Deb- I almost started The Betrayal today, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. It looks like a quick read. I have still not read any of Susan Hill's fiction. I'm overdue.

Oh, Mark, Susan Hill is great! I loved The Various Haunts of Men (and I've got the next somewhere on the shelves). And The Woman in Black and The Small Hand were both deliciously creepy.

Deb! I've finally caught up! Phew. Interesting comments on Stephen Harper - I only know him from the "What is Stephen Harper Reading" blog, and when I mentioned that to Don, he had a short rant on how horrible Harper is. (He finds time to read the paper, and knows everything there is to know. I watch the 24 news channel for an hour or so once every few weeks and always end up feeling puzzled/depressed.) So, there ya go, we recognise Harper's evil side in Australia, too. :)

#202> Maybe we should all move to New Zealand when the right wingers take over elsewhere? Beautiful country, people seem nice, lamb is delicious, and they do a good sauvignon blanc. :)

@205 - Great to hear it Mark! I'm delighted to read that you are going to start The Betrayal. Yes, it's a relatively quick read. I think you'll enjoy it!

@206 Yes Tania and Maark, I do love the Simon Serailler series by Susan Hill. This book is a great treat. I've had it sitting in a pile for a more than a month -does that count as BOTS?

Tania, I'm so impressed that even if you and your husband recognize the evil that lies within the heart of Harper. I look into those small blue/ grey eyes of his, and they look devoid of emotion or thought.I'm with you Tania, let's all hit New Zealand!! So long as it's leftish!;)

I do enjoy Susan Hill. She writes with a nice balance of
mystery and grimness / relationship and character.

#206 and #207 - I'd consider New Zealand (Neil Finn is there after all) if I could somehow watch Seattle Seahawks games in real time : )

Maybe we should all move to New Zealand when the right wingers take over elsewhere? Beautiful country, people seem nice, lamb is delicious, and they do a good sauvignon blanc. :)

You sold me! Can I be your next door neighbour?

Hey, Deb -
What???? I need points to move to Canada???
Well, damn! Will have to look that up. My threats have all been hollow?

ETA: Even a PhD would not do it for me. I'm too old and have no employment. But I don't want employment. I'm retired. Oh this is very sad news. My dreams are dashed (even tho I probably never would have done this)!

Being American makes me think I am so free and have unlimited options - maybe not in the rest of the world.
Oh, sad revelation...

Beware, we NZers have a right government in at present, talking of asset sales and cutting budgets in police and not supporting the wharfies at all in their current strike action.

But still, our right is still really only centre/right.

Feel free, come live in NZ! The Sav Blanc IS good :)

Feel free, come live in NZ! The Sav Blanc IS good :)

Your Sav Blanc is the BEST. And thanks for the invite. My teenage daughter is gaga over all things NZ due to her Lord of the Rings addiction. She'd have her bags packed tonight.

@ 208 Yes, I very much enjoy Susan Hill as well. Betrayal of Trust , while dealing with a bit of mystery is more focused on hospice care, ALS or motor neuron disease, which I very much interested in. I do enjoy how Susan HIll takes on social issues. I've a dear friend with ALS and this book is really making me think more about what she deals with. Her's is a slower form of ALS - she has had it for some 35 years, but it is just recently that she has needed assistance with breathing at night . Initially ,at the age of 19, she was told she has 5 years to live. I really admire her courage. Despite her diagnosis, she went on to get a Master's Degree in Rehab psychology and married a wonderful mand.

@LOL Kerri! A sports fan ? I'm not so much but one of my son's is crazy about the Vancouver Canucks. And I do mean CRAZY! ;)

@210 Hey , Joyce, I'm going to be Tania's and Megan's neighbour and whoever else is moving to NZ!! Okay, you can live on the same street with the all of us!;)

@211 LOL Claudia! Apparently yes, you need points to get into Canada. I'm not sure how it all works, since I was born here. My brother married a European girl and I don't know what her points situation was, but maybe that's the way to get in - marry a Canadian! ;) Only thing is that she could speak at least 3 languages, one of them being French and my brother had to sign and undertaking that he would support her for 10 years, even if there marriage did not work out -which by the way it has done and they are into 13 years or so and two kids. Maybe just find a new husband? ;)

@212 Thank you Megan! I can take just centre right , no problem. I'm not sure how far right this crazy new government of ours is, but I don't like it'!!!

@Hey there girl, I think that invite was for me, Joyce! :) I think my two sons would likely stay behind , since both are happily employed and settled in Canada. Actually William is just graduating from university in April, but he already has a great job waiting for him after graduation. I'm very happy and proud of him!

Thanks everyone for visting my thread!

Deb, enjoyed your review of Harperland; thumb and thanks! Enjoy The Betrayal of Trust.

Great to see you Nancy! I'm glad that you enjoyed my review. That was one I did not even have to look back to the book to create it. That came straight from the heart. I really dislike PM Harper. I've tried so hard to find something redeeming about him - like maybe he is a good father? And maybe he is, but as a leader of Canada, the information in Harperland was really a revelation and quite scary!

I am indeed enjoying The Betrayal of Trust . So far, the mystery aspect is certainly taking a back seat to the social commentary on hospic care, dementia, ALS, euthansia. Susan Hill could dispense with the mystery aspect and I'd enjoy the book all the more. She's really an excellent author.

Hi Deb (Tonto)- 60 plus pages into the Betrayal. Very good. I forgot how much I like these characters!

*tucking into a lightly chilled glass of Matua Valley Savignon Blanc*
We had a glut of savignon blanc grapes here over the last few seasons and it resulted in a LOT of cheap local wine. I for one was pretty happy with it (in theory anyway as at the time I was pregnant so not drinking- huh, what timing!)

@216 -Enjoy The Betrayal, Kemosabe aka Mark!;) They are great characters, aren't they!

@Hi Megan!Ahh rub it in, Megan! I confess, I don't drink.... though by the silly things I often say one might think otherwise;) Believe or not, in the Okanagan area of British Columbia, we produce a lot of wine. Whether they are of world class - I'm not sure. You would have to ask someone other than me... sigh!

We had a glut of savignon blanc grapes here over the last few seasons and it resulted in a LOT of cheap local wine. I for one was pretty happy with it

Yea! I hope those cheap prices transfer over our way. NZ wine is quite pricey here in Canada. I think it's worth it though.

I'm reading The Siege, Deb, and I didn't realize (Mark's post) that The Betrayal features some of the same characters. I'm getting quite attached to Anna and Andrei.

Hi Deb, wow go away for a few days and it's pretty hard to catch up. I don't know enough about Stephen Harper to comment but didn't he just get reelected? Of course so did George Bush and lots of people didn't like him either. I have the first two Susan Hill mysteries on my shelf. Now all I have to do is find the time.

So far behind! Too far to catch up.... BUT.... I'm currently reading The Siege, and I just ordered a copy of The Space Between Us from PBS. I just finished The Betrayal of Trust and enjoyed it a lot. And I at least own Raven Black. I've been resisting Karin Fossum just because I can't, I really can't start another mystery series now.
(I don't know what essence of skunk smells like, for which I'm very grateful.)
A Joke: Three skunks walked into church. The usher welcomed them, but he made them sit in their own pew.
(Sorry)

@220 Hey Joyce - enjoying the wine! :)

@221 - Hey Joe, thanks for stopping by! As I mentioned on your thread, I too am quite attache to Andrei and Anna. Apparently Helen Dunmore is considering a third book featuring Andrei and Anna -but nothing is sure.

@Hi Bonnie! Well, I'm not quite sure how Stephen Harper got re- elected. Initially he had a minority government and then I would say in part through attack ads, Harper decimated the Liberal Party. Instead, for the first time in history, the far rigtt is in charge and the further left is in opposition. I think a lot of people were duped by Stephen Harper. I don't know:) Enjoy you Susan Hill mysteries!

@Hi!Peggy - right? Enjoy The Siege and the The Space Between Us I certainly did! I'm enjoying Betrayal of Trust and nearing the end -but it's a sadder book than I anticipated

Ha! Love the joke!!!!

Pondering the revelation that one needs points to move to Canada ... Very interesting!

Hi Kath! I don't know a lot about the points system , but yes, that is one way of immigrating into Canada. For refugees from a different a country declared unsafe - that is a different story. There is also a family re- unification process to assist getting family into Canada. You can also have a baby in Canada, and that child automatically becomes a Canadian Citizen, and then as parents , they you've got an in.

How would I immigrate to the US? I remember they had a lottery system -but I'm not sure how they do it now . I hope you are keeping well!

Deb: It's great to see your enthusiasm for Susan Hill's latest. I do have the first book in the series on my shelf. Gemma Hardy distracted me, and now I am reading my book group selection for this month but I do want to get a start on this series.

The Review forThe Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill also on main page

The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill is the sixth book in the DCI Simon Serrailler Series. As always, Susan Hill offers a mix of police procedural and social commentary.

This time, crime very much takes a back seat as social and moral issues are explored. The Betrayal of Trust is the series darkest and most enthralling novel so far.

Author Susan Hill sheds light on many dark and often unspoken issues. Aging, assisted suicide, euthanasia, and living with a terminal illness are all examined closely. Virtually all of the well rounded characters are dealing with death and grieving in one way or another.

Simon's sister, physician Doctor Cat Deerborn, is still grieving the loss of her husband to cancer. One of her patients, Jocelyn Forbes, is stricken with Motor Neuron Disease, also known as ALS, and is trying to come to terms with this. The town of Lafferton, where all of the action takes place , is struggling to fund a hospice, and yet another person agonizes over care homes for her partner, now stricken with dementia.

If this book sounds dark, it is. However, as many of us have struggled with aging parents, terminal illness, palliative care as well as relatives how have wish for assisted suicide, I suspect that this novel will resonate with many of us. I found the situations dealt with to be stark and true to life , and I congratulate Susan Hill on her ability to tackle dark and challenging issues without sentimentality but with realism and compassion.

This novel was a powerful, dark and illuminating read. It will stay with me for a long time.

4.5 stars.

@227 - Beth, I hope that my review of The Betrayal of Trust will not turn you off the Simon Serailler Series. I really enjoy them , and they are quite different from your average police procedural, but this was definitely the darkest and yet the most powerful in the series!

I'm now about 50 pages into Midnight at the Dragon Cafe by Judy Fong Bates. My sons girlfriend read it for university and recommended it, so I got it out of the library. It seems to be very promising. It's the story of a young girl immigrating into small town Ontario Canada in the very early 1960's. The family is escaping communist China , but finds a real challenge to fit into a small Canadian town.

Deb: I started The Various Haunts of Men and it is drawing me in. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe looks good. I'll be anxious to see your final comments. I like immigrant stories.

I came to be sure you hadn't blown away last night. That was some wind. Of course you have lured me in with talk of Simon Serrailler, another series I have been meaning to get to. And like Beth, I like immigrant stories, so I will be waiting to hear what you think of Midnight At the Dragon Cafe.

Hi Deb- Good review of The Betrayal of Trust. I'll have to try this series at some point. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe also sounds promising.

Thumb for an excellent review of The Betrayal of Trust, Deb. Your latest, Midnight at the Dragon Cafe sounds very intriguing, too!

Hi Deb, The Serrailler series is so much more than a mystery series. The mystery almost seems to be besides the point. I love learning about all the different characters - I really like Simon's step-mother and the relationship between Simon and Cat. And Simon himself is not always easy to like - sometimes I want to give him a thump on the noggin!

@231 Hi Beth! Enjoy The Various Haunts of Men. I ran across Susan Hill's Simon Serrallier series a few years ago, and after I tried one of them I read through them all. They are very different from the usual police procedural or mystery book. I'm really glad that I was able to read them in order, because so much character and family development happens from one book to another.

@232 Yes! I wondered if I might have been blown away last night and this morning. My husband told that at work today on the ramp at Air Canada, someone opened the door to a truck -and the wind blew the door off the truck and onto the airplane and they had quite a fix-up job to do... It was really windy!We lost a small piece of flashing from our roof, but again , my husband was able to take care of that.

@233 Hi Mark! I'm not sure if Betrayal of Trust would be to your taste, but then again, you are the man that loves everything!

@234 Thanks for the thumb, Nancy. It was truly a powerful book!

As for Midnight Cafe it is just fascinating!!!! I'm loving it so much that I went to the library today and took out a memoir by the author - A Year of Finding Memory. I think that the story of the The Midnight Cafe is loosely based on Judy Fong Bates memoir. I'll report back to all you re the The Midnight Cafe when I am finished it. Today I had a busy day, so I did not get much reading done.

@235 - Joanne, I so agree! The Serralier series is so much more than a mystery series -and never more so than The Betrayal of Trust. I was reading that author Susan Hill is now 70, so perhaps the topics that she covered in Betrayal of Trust resonated with her quite a bit also. I agree with you - essentially I very much like Simon - but sometimes he makes some poor choices ...like the woman in the book that attracted him. And yet, one can understand that, I think......................................................... not sure.

Thanks for visiting everyone! I'll try to get around the threads tomorrow.

I do have to catch up with Simon Serralier. I think I have only read the first two.

oh and you are right about mark! He does enjoy books.. most all of them!

#230 - Hi Deb! Midnight at the Dragon Cafe sounds fascinating! You're my main Canadian literature source.

Revelation! ALS and motor neurone disease are the same thing! Thanks, Deb. I'm somehow relieved that there's not a third horrible thing lurking out there (with MS being #2).

Hi Kath! I hope you find the time to catch up with good old Simon Serralier. I must admit that The Betrayal of Trust was by far my most favourite of the series. I read that Susan Hill is now 70, so perhaps illness and old age are more on her mind.

@ Hi Kerri! Midnight at the Dragon Cafe is really excellent so far! I am very happy to be your Canadian Lit source!;) Ask away for the type of Can Lit that you might like to read.... I will try!

@239 - Hey , great to see you , Peggy, Yes, ALS and Motor Neurone Disease and Lou Gehrig"s are all one and the same. I have a very close friend with ALS - however, her ALS has been a slow moving one , compared to most. She has had it from the age of 19 until now - and she is 45. However, she has been wheel chair bound for some 6 years now and just recently had have assistance from a BiPap machine to assist her breathing at night. She is VERY BRAVE. Married to a wonderful guy and very accepting of her illness. I wish that I had 1/10 of the courage and grace that she has. She is an amazing person. Over the years, I have become fairly familiar with the many neurological diseases that are out there -much more than one might think.

Hi Deb, I love it when a book makes such an impression that I immediately need to find more by the same author! I'm so delighted this is your experience with Midnight at the Dragon Cafe.

@241 - Yes indeed, Nancy, I am loving Midnight at the Dragon Cafe. I can hardly put it down. Such an interesting premise - the idea of a small chinese restaurant in small town Ontario, in the 1960's. And - relations within the small family are not quite what they seem. The fact that that book is based on the authors real - life experiences, however loosely, made rush to the library and get her memoir A Year of Finding Memory.

Hi Deb!
Sheesh! how would one immigrate to the US now? Never think about these things.

Phooey - Sounds like Canada will never work for me. I'm too old to have a baby, my Canadian ancestors have long ago passed on, I don't think the US is considered particularly unsafe, and I don't have enough points. Waaaahh! I feel deprived and unloved. It's not that I would really move to Canada - but I like to think I could on hot days.
Well, I guess there is always Alaska. Will have to change my threats.

Oh Claudia! I hate to tell you , but many places in Canada get VERY HOT over the summer. 100 F or so? and more than that. Go North, Young Woman!Alaska, or Canada's Yukon or Nunavut or very north in Canada's provinces. Claudia, I agree, the US is not considered unsafe by Canada. Oh I feel for you!!!!

Morning Deb- I'm glad you are still enjoying Midnight at the Dragon Cafe. It does sound interesting.

@ Mark, Actually, Mark, I've finished up Midnight at the Dragon Cafe and I loved it! One of my favourites so far this year. I have not written any comments, but I will either write a review or some comments later on.

Meanwhile I'm about 25% through The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka, which I am enjoying very much.

Looking forward to your full thoughts on Dragon Cafe and The Buddha in the Attic, Deb. I already have Buddha on my wishlist but can't remember why!

#240 - I should pay attention to the Canadian literature award (s?) too. Something else to add to my awards spreadsheet. Speaking of recommendations, I thought I might broaden my horizon a bit and read one of those Scandicrime novels that you and Paul talk about. Do you (or Paul, if he reads this) have a recommendation that was published in 2010 or after? I could possibly fit it into my new category.

@247 - Dee, I'll get to my comments or review of The Dragon Cafe later on -and yes, I am very much enjoying The Bhudda in the Attic very much!

@248 - Kerri, yes I have several ideas for excellent scandicrime. Now, the publication date could be a challenge. Do you need the original foreign publication date - or the translated into English date? It often takes a year or two for a Scandi Crime to be translated.

Karin Fossum comes to mind as my favourite author. She has two books that I have recently read - Bad Intentions published in 2008 in Sweden, but not published in English til 2010. Another of her books was The Caller - which was excellent - published in Sweden in 2009, but not published in the US/Canada until the translation was done in 2011. They were both fabulous books!

Yes! Do have a look at Canadian award authors! We have many excellent writers....If you look in my profile and look into award winning books that I have read - you will see a great number of Canadian Lit award winning books.

#249 - Thanks! Bad Intentions sounds like a good one. I'll put it on the wishlist. I hope I'm not scared out of my wits!

I've added Midnight at the Dragon Cafe to my tbr list.

Thanks for your recommendation!

Hi Deb not sure why Canada's image internationally is that the place is permanently in a state of shivering. Hope to visit your lovely country in the next few years and will try to do so in what you North American's call fall so we can enjoy cooler weather but without the snow drifts.

100 deg F? That's what.....37.77777deg C. That's quite hot.
We sometimes get that hot too, but not often. And only in Jan or Feb probably.
Poor misunderstood Canada :)

Hi Megan! Canada uses Celsius too - but most of my visitors on LT use F. Where I live on the west coast, infrequent that we would even get 85 F - but we do. But, if you go into the Prairie Provinces , you find very hot tempertures over the summer. In BC, we have a partial desert area, most of the Okanagan, and they get very high temps over the summer. I find it unbearable there. A lot of people here would have air conditioning.

Yes indeed, poor misunderstood Canada. Part of it is the way Canada advertises itself -sigh!

Lytton in BC, my province, has some of Canada's highest temps - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lytton,_British_Columbia

If you look at their weather, their record high is 111.4 F or 44. C. And they are not even semi desert.

Hi Deb, some of the hottest days I've experienced have been in Toronto in the summer where the heat can be suffocating. Unlike Buffalo, which benefits from the cooling breezes off Lake Erie, Lake Ontario doesn't do the same for Toronto. That's why Torontonians head north to cottage country in the summer. Did I mention that my hubby has lots of Canadian relatives?

Hi Bonnie! Yes, I know that many of the hottest most humid days are in Toronto, and Ottawa , Prairie cites like Winnipeg. Did I mention that I've got a brother who lives just outside Toronto, and I was born in Prairie City - Winnipeg. My brother in law lives in Ottawa and he tells us about the heat and humidity. I'm pretty well traveled myself , and yes, a lot of Canada is very hot in the summer. Yes the Great Lakes make for a lot of humidity:)

At long last - a review of The Dragon Cafe by Judy Fong Bates. Also on the main page of reviews.

Midnight at the Dragon Cafe is an intriguing, thoughtful page turner of a novel. It is both the story of immigration to Canada as well as the story of the hard-working but dysfunctional family that narrator Su-Jen inhabits.

Young Su-Jen and her mother,Lai-Jing, immigrate from China to Canada some 5 years after father and husband,Hing-Wung has established a place for his family in Canada.

The Chou family own and run a small Chinese restaurant in small town 1950's Ontario. Su-Jen has no memory of her father, and her mother soon becomes embittered and resentful of her much older husband, the shabby restaurant and small town Ontario. Meanwhile six year old Su-Jen gradually adapts to her new home,learning English and attending school.

Racism exists in this small town, but even more challenging for the growing Su- Jen are the internal problems within her family.

Su - Jen has never meet her much older brother, Lee- Kung, until he moves into the minimal family quarters over-top of the Dragon Cafe. Su -Jen gradually realizes that relationships within her family are very strained, and not exactly as presented to her.Her mother and Lee- Kung form an unseemly alliance.

Narrator Su-Jen carries the burden of her family secrets as well as the challenges that she faces as a young teen adapting to life in Canada.

Over time, a sudden tragedy in Su-Jen's life forces her to give voice to the burden and anger that she has felt towards her family . She confronts her family and ultimately learns something of forgiveness .

A wonderful, heartbreaking story, and all too believable.

4.5 stars ( )

Now that does sound good - great review, Deb!

good review ! Thanks Deb..sounds like a good read, but I think I am putting sad on the back burner..
someday maybe?

How are you ? Any big plans for the weekend?

Deb: Great review, and I found it in our college library!

#257 - Good review Deb! I think it's on my wishlist already.

Definitely adding Midnight At The Dragon Cafe to my library wishlist. Great review, Deb.

Deb- Great review! It sounds like a winner.

@258 - Dee, it's an excellent book! I found myself so wrapped up with the characters and angry at the mother and " son'. I was back in the early 1950's, even -and that is before I was born!:)

@259 Yes, Kath, I can understand you not wanting sad right now. I'm finishing up The Buddha in the Attic and then I think I'm going to move to something a little lighter.

@260 Wow, Beth! I'm glad that you found in your college library! It's a slightly older book - 1994 or something and Canadian - so I'm not sure how widespread the book is.

@261 It's really worth the read, Kerri. I don't do the book justice in my review. I try - but it's difficult!

@262 - I'll take the book back shortly, Judy , and then maybe you will get the book sooner! ;) I think that you will very much enjoy it!

Okay, I'm just going to move to another page! Hang on for a minute or two.....