The Mythological Year with CMBohn, part 2

Ready for part 2! (part 1 here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/122721)

Categories are:

Aphrodite - Love
Apollo - Medicine and Poetry
Ares - War
Atlas - Travel and Geography
Chimera - Science Fiction and Horror
Clio - History
Dionysys - Food and Theater
The Fates - biography
Hades - Death and Mystery
Hebe - Child and Teen
Hecate - fantasy
Poseidon - Sea and Disaster

Bonus category -

Mount Olympus - Religion

1 - Aphrodite: Love and Romance

1. Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton, 2.5 stars
2. A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson, 3 stars
3. Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman, 3.5 stars
4. The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson, 4 stars
5. Salt Bride by Lucinda Brant, 3.25 stars
6. Bachelor's Puzzle by Judith Pella, 3.25 stars
7. Wildwing by Emily Whitman, 2.75 stars

Ideas:

Aurelia
Tris and Izzie
Mr. Malcolm's List
Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther
Mount Vernon Love Story

2 - Apollo: Medicine and Poetry

1. The Family That Couldn't Sleep by D T Max, 4 stars
2. Bitten: True Medical Stories of Bites and Stings by Pamela Nagami, 3.5 stars
3. Ether Day by J M Fenster, 4.5 stars
4. Moonrise: One Family, Genetic Identity and Muscular Dystrophy, by Penny Wolfson, 3 stars
5. The Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif, 2.5 stars

Ideas:

Chicago Poems
Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen
Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou
Hypochondriac's Pocket Guide to Diseases You Probably Already Have
The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes
The Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins
The Collected Poems of Robert Frost

3 - Ares: War

1. The Training Ground: Grant, Lee, Sherman and Davis, 5 stars
2. Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara, 4.5 stars
3. War Made New, 1500 to Today by Max Boot, 3.5 stars
4. The Glorious Cause by Jeff Shaara, 5 stars
5. The Last King's Amulet by Chris Northern, 5 stars
6. Our Mothers' War by Emily Yellin, 2.5 stars
7.

Ideas:

Persian Fire
Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad
Union 1812
Our First Revolution
The Guns of August
Flyboys: A True Story of Courage
The Eagle of the Ninth
The Siege of Krishnapur
The American Civil War: A Military History
Hard Tack and Coffee
Flags of Our Fathers

Atlas - Travel and Geography

1. The Map that Changed the World by Simon Winchester, 4.25 stars
2. Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen, 4 stars
3. The Serpent's Daughter by Suzanne Arruda, 2.5 stars
4. The Worst Journey in the World, currently reading
5. A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: William Dampier by Diana Preston, 4 stars
6. The Leopard's Prey by Suzanne Arruda, 3 stars
7. Dead in the Water by Dana Stabenow, 3 stars

Ideas:

The Arctic Grail
The Island at the Center of the World
The River at the Center of the World
The Riddle of the Compass
Trial by Ice
Jefferson's Great Gamble
My Life in France

5 - Chimera: Science Fiction and Horror

1. Hourglass by Myra McEntire, 2.75 stars
2. Spin by Robert Charles Wilson, 3.25 stars
3. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld, 4 stars
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth, 4.5 stars
5. Foundation by Isaac Asimov, 3 stars
6. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton, 3 stars
7. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson, 4.5 stars
8. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, 4.5 stars
9. Saturn Apartments by Hisae Iwaoka, 4 stars
10. MagicNet by John DeChancie, 1.5 stars
11. Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden, 2 stars
12. Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel, 5 stars
13. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, 5 stars
14. The Keep by F. Paul Wilson, 4 stars
15. Old Man's War by John Scalzi, 3.25 stars
16. Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly, 4 stars
17. Crossed by Ally Condie, 3 stars

Dr. Franklin's Island
There Goes the Galaxy
The Man Who Sold the Moon
Fantastic Voyage
Bellwether
Out of Time's Abyss
The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth
A Princess of Mars

6 - Clio: History

1. After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam by Lesley Hazleton, 4.5 stars
2. 1215: The Year of the Magna Carta by Danziger and Gillingham, 3.5 stars
3. The Tycoons by Charles Morris, 2.5 stars
4. The President is a Sick Man by Matthew Algeo, 4 stars
5. A Play of Treachery by Margaret Frazer, 3 stars
6. A Play of Piety by Margaret Frazer, 4 stars
7. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, 3.5 stars
8. Playing the Enemy: The Game - currently reading

The Last Days of the Incas
Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin
1812: The War that Forged a Nation
Champlain's Dream
The Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton
The Santa Fe Trail
Short History of Nearly Everything
Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story

7 - Dionysus: Food and Theater

1. The Everything Anti-Inflammation Book by Karlyn Grimes - 3 stars
2. Chili con Corpses by J B Stanley, 2.25 stars
3. Their Last Suppers by Andrew Caldwell, 2.5 stars
4. Murder in the Cathedral by T. S. Eliot, 2 stars
5. A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, 4 stars
6. Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook, 4.5 stars
7. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, 3.5 stars
8. Death Takes the Cake by Melinda Wells, 2.5 stars
9. Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay, 3 stars
10. Fix It and Forget It Cookbook, 3 stars

Abandoned: Good Calories, Bad Calories

Ideas:

Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
The Compass of Pleasure
Antony and Cleopatra
Candide
Daisy Cooks: Latin Flavors that Will Rock Your World
Chocolate Never Faileth
You Can't Take It With You
The Children's Hour

8 - Fates: Biography

1. Fortunate Sons: The 120 Chinese Boys Who Came to America by Liel Leibovitz and Matthew Miller, 4 stars
2. House of Abraham: Lincoln and the Todds by Stephen Berry, 3.75 stars
3. Washington's General: Nathanael Greene by Terry Golway, 4.25 stars
4. Henry Knox: Bookseller, Soldier, Patriot by Anita Silvery, 4 stars
5. To the Rescue: Thomas S. Monson by Heidi S. Swinton, 4 stars

Ideas:

Galileo's Daughter
Victoria's Daughters
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
Truman
American Sphinx
Mary Chesnut
Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times
To Hell and Back
Those Who Trespass Against Us
A Watchman on the Tower

9 - Hades: Death and Mystery

1. Forensic Nurse by Serita Stevens, 2 stars
2. The Perfect Murder by HRF Keating, 3.75 stars
3. The Killer of Little Shepherds by Douglass Star, 5 stars
4. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach, 1.5 stars
5. Granny a la Mode by Sue Ann Jaffarian, didn't finish
6. Death of a Dude by Rex Stout, 4 stars
7. Death by Accident by Bill Crider, 4 stars
8. The Con Man by Ed McBain, 3.25 stars
9. Killer's Choice by Ed McBain, 3.25 stars
10. Last Breath: Cautionary Tales from the Limits of Human Endurance by Peter Stark, 2.25 stars
11. Open Season by Archer Mayor, 4 stars
12. Haunted Ground by Erin Hart, 4 stars
13. Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay, 3 stars
14. A Stitch in Crime by Betty Hechtman, 2 stars
15. A Romantic Way to Die by Bill Crider, 4 stars
16. Anthem for Doomed Youth by Carola Dunn, 2.5 stars
17. The Murder Stone by Charles Todd, 3.75 stars
18. Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri, 1.5 stars
19. Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely, 2.75 stars
20. Dying in Style by Elaine Viets, 2.75 stars
21. Murder of a Creped Suzette by Denise Swanson, 2.5 stars

Ideas:

Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder
Dead Men Do Tell Tales
A Journal of the Plague Year
Coroner's Journal

10 - Hecate: Magic and Fantasy

1. Foiled by Jane Yolen, 4 stars
2. StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce, 4 stars
3. My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison, 4 stars
4. The Floating Island: Lost Journals by Elizabeth Haydon, 4.5 stars
5. The Thief Queen's Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon, 4.25 stars
6. The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett, 5 stars
7. The Horn of Moran by M L Forman - 4 stars
8. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher, 4 stars
9. The Green Man by Michael Edard, 3.5 stars
10. Mister Monday by Garth Nix - 2.75 stars
11. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings, 3 stars
12. Jingo by Terry Pratchett, 5 stars

Ideas:

The Crystal Cave
Fire Arrow
The Incomplete Enchanter
The Naming
The Changeling Sea
The Hollow Kingdom
A Necklace of Fallen Stars

11 - Hebe: Children's Books

1. The Three Furies by Kaza Kingsley - 4 stars
2. Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt - 2.5 stars
3. Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan - 5 stars
4. The Kings of Clonmel by John Flanagan - 4.5 stars
5. Halt's Peril by John Flanagan - 5 stars!!!
6. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan - 5 stars
7. The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, 3 stars
8. Chalk by Bill Thomson, 5 stars
9. A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine, 4 stars
10. Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm by Jerdine Nolen, 4 stars
11. Welcome to the Zoo by Alison Jay, 4 stars
12. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee, 3 stars
13. Chester by Melanie Watt, 5 stars
14. Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt, 3.5 stars
15. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, 4.25 stars
16. The Recruit by Robert Muchamore, 3 stars
17. The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg, 3.25 stars
18. The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short by Gerald Morris, 3 stars
19. Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, 3 stars

Ideas:

My Friend is Sad
The Arrival
The Frog with the Big Mouth
A Tale Dark and Grimm
Boy: Tales of Childhood
The Evil Garden
Penny Dreadful
The Sweetest Fig

12 - Poseidon: Sea and Disaster

1. Kraken: The Curious, Exciting and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid by Wendy Williams, 4 stars
2. Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson, 4.5 stars
3. Golden Buddha by Clive Cussler, 3.25 stars

Ideas:

The Shadow-Line
Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean
South Sea Tales by R L Stephenson
South Sea Tales by Jack London
Dreadnought
Sultana: Surviving the Civil War
In Harm's Way: The Sinking
The Last Voyage of Columbus
Resolute: The Epic Search for the Northwest Passage
Three Fearful Days

Bonus: Mount Olympus - Religion

1. No One Can Take Your Place by Sheri L. Dew, 5 stars
2. A Voice of Warning by Parley P. Pratt, currently reading
3. God Wants a Powerful People by Sheri L. Dew, 4 stars

You have some amazing books lined up. I can only comment on The Arrival (fantastic!) and The Crystal Cave (read and loved in high school, recently bought copy at book sale and will be rereading). I'll be interested in all your other books as they are unknown to me.

40. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe by Laurence Bergreen, Atlas category

Themes: sailing, meeting strange and possibly unpleasant people, religion, trade, nationalism, exploration, the Spanish Inquisition!

Great story of the larger issues involved in the story of Magellan, who Magellan was, and why this story matter. Plus it's just an exciting story. Never got the whole, grisly picture of this one before. Definitely worth reading. 4 stars.

I have to hand it to those sailors who had no idea what was out there when they left port. What a leap of faith! To boldly go...

Yeah, pretty amazing.

41. Death by Accident by Bill Crider, Hades category

Themes: small towns, law enforcement, Texas, murder

The more I read this series, the more I like it! I picked up the first book I read more or less at random at the library, and since then, I've been reading them when I get my hands on them. This one I found at the USB store. The early ones seem to be out of print, or at least, hard to find, and the library doesn't have a lot. But I like them enough to want to track them down.

Being sheriff of a small county in rural Texas is a lot harder than it used to be. (Although Texas has always been a little well, loose when it comes to obeying the law.) Sheriff Dan Rhodes has his hands full in this book. Things normally are pretty quiet there. Breaking up bar fights and domestic disturbances keep him pretty busy. But this time he has three fatal accidents in just a few days, and that's just not normal. Maybe these accidents aren't really so -- accidental.

Not quite a cozy, although frequently funny, and much funnier if you are a Texan. I read A Mammoth Murder this year and that one was even funnier. Too Late to Die is the first one and I still haven't found it.

42. Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman, Aphrodite category. Teen historical fiction with a romance twist. Set in India during the fight for Indian independence and World War II. I was afraid it would be depressing or cheesy, but it was neither. Really good. 3.5 stars

43. Ether Day by J M Fenster, Apollo category. Non-fiction about the discovery of nitrous oxide and later ether and the men who fought over it. Sounds like it would be boring, but it was great stuff. Made me think over and over how glad I am for anesthesia, especially since I had major surgery last fall. I kept thinking how blessed I am to live today. 4.5 stars.

Dropping by to visit your new thread! Over the edge of the world sounds great!

Took a big bag of books to the used book store, and now I have three more bags to go! And somehow, the number of books in the house does not seem to have changed. I am getting better about not buying books. I just can't afford it, and I already have so many! Still going through my Dad's books that I brought home after he passed away. Foundation was one of his. It made me kind of sad to read it, since he wasn't here and I really wanted to talk to him about it. Having a hard week.

@16 - oooh thats on my WL, glad to see you liked it :-)

sorry to hear your having a rough time :-(

44. and 45. The Con Man and Killer's Choice, both by Ed McBain, 87th Precinct Novels, Hades category.

If you're a fan of programs like Law and Order, you know what a police procedural is. This stops with the police and doesn't get into the court stuff. I had never tried this series before - it's another one of my dad's books. Again, I wish I had read it when he was here.

The Con Man starts with, what else, a con. But it is followed soon by a body floating up from the river. Are the two connected? The men of the 87th better hurry up and figure out what's going on before more bodies pile up.

Killer's Choice has them divided between two murders, the death of a woman named Annie, and the murder of a fellow detective. They have a suspect and a motive for the cop's death, but the dead woman is proving a real puzzle. Every one they talk to has a different image of her. Who was she? And who wanted her dead?

I rated both of them at 3.25, slightly above average for me, and worth reading if you find them. If not, then I would recommend giving the series a try. I started with number 4 in the series, but it didn't seem to mess me up too much.

Wow, just added a TON of books that I have finished lately. That's what happens when you get a vacation - nice - and are in a car accident and have to take it easy for a bit - not nice. I'm better, but I pinched my sciatic nerve, and wow, talk about painful. I'm trying to take it easy, but somehow, that's not working. Still, maybe I can relax this weekend and keep getting better. I'll be back with reviews, because I'm really excited about some of the ones I read, and have some complaining to do about a couple of others!

46. Moonrise: One Family, Genetic Identity and Muscular Dystrophy, by Penny Wolfson, 3.375 stars, Apollo category

Themes: family, raising children with special needs, genes, destiny

I'm being a little picky with the rating here, but I think I'll leave it.

Penny and her husband Joe were enchanted with their little baby boy. Despite a lot of ambivalence about being a mom, she fell fast in love with this adorable child. It wasn't until he started preschool that his teachers started to notice a few odd little things. He has a strange walk. His vocabulary was great for his age, but he had some odd grammatical tics. He was a little clumsy. But it took some outside prompting before they got him tested. The verdict - he had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It was progressive; it would cause muscular degeneration; and eventually, it was fatal. This is their story.

It's a well told story, and I found myself drawn in to their lives and their drama, but I had a hard time connecting with the author. The way she copes is by distancing herself and living in denial as much as possible. It may work for her, and I can't judge her, having never been in her shoes, but it made her dilemma seem a little unreal.

I found myself asking which would be harder to live with, her situation with her child slowly degenerating to an inevitable end, or mine, with three children who struggle with mental illness and have their ups and downs, and no way to know how it's going to end. We have almost lost both daughters at least once, but we've pulled them back and the struggle goes on. It's exhausting. But it's not inevitable, so we keep going. What else can you do?

As I said my prayers last night, I found myself in tears, desperately grateful for my children and like Penny, feeling overwhelming guilt for my occasional shame at having less than perfect children. I MUST do better. They are counting on me. Life keeps going, and it doesn't get easier. So I need to suck it up and carry on.

47. The Glorious Cause by Jeff Shaara, 5 stars, Ares category

Themes: freedom, class, politics, war, destiny, sacrifice

Think you know the Revolutionary War? So did I, but I find the more I read, the more I didn't know. This book picks up with Brooklyn and goes through to the final siege of Yorktown.

Nobody writes war stories like Shaara. He does such a great job of describing the key figures, of telling the story behind the conflict, and of explaining where things are happening. I have a hard time picturing things out without a map. I'm not really a visual reader. So if a writer gets to specific about where things are going on, I can't piece it together unless there's a map.

But for me, the people were really what made the story come alive. I loved reading about them. Ben Franklin, General Cornwallis, Lafayette, Washington - all of them were there, including my cousin, Nathanael Greene. (Yeah, it's distant, but still, he's my cuz!) He even takes the time to tell one scene from the perspective of a captive on the prison ships held in New York, as Cornwallis sails back to England.

Absolutely 5 stars.

48. The Last King's Amulet by Chris Northern

Themes: privilege, duty, war, politics, magic, zombies!

Strictly speaking, a fantasy. There's magic involved and zombies too. But it's more military fantasy, if that's a phrase, than anything else. Sumto is a wealthy aristocrat who has one career path - military service, the politics. He might be able to work around the politics, but the military service is a must. Trouble is, he's also a drunken hedonist who would like nothing better than to continue his chosen path of drinking, sleeping late, reading a book or two, and then drinking again. But his time is up - he's got to go to war.

This book, the first of three, is about how Sumto changes from a barfly to a military strategist. It's a great story too, with strong secondary characters and well developed setting. In fact, while wanted to see what happened to Sumto, it was the assassin/spy Sapphire that haunted my thoughts for days afterward.

I got this one as a free download from Amazon and downloaded the next one as soon as I finished the first. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I really loved it. 5 stars.

49. Murder in the Cathedral by T S Eliot, Dionysus category, 2 stars

Themes: duty, faith, ambition, destiny

You'd think with big themes like that, it would be a good play, but the themes are all important and the dialogue falls flat. Every once in a while, the words would transcend the rest, but not often enough. This is story of Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, and his murder. Like the title says. He is the main character, the rest only spokesmen for various points of view, and might as well be read by a robot. The actual murder isn't even exciting. Might be better if I saw it, but I still don't think it would be very good.

50. Last Breath: Cautionary Tales from the Limits of Human Endurance by Peter Stark, Hades category
Themes: death, dying, adventure, thrill-seeking, endurance, physiology

Kind of strange. I liked the chapter about avalanche best, given that I live in avalanche country, but overall it was an odd read. Why did he use a fictional was of telling the story? Why not interview actual people who survived these events, or tell actual accounts of people who died? As a storytelling device, it kept me disconnected from the story. Not recommended. Read Surviving the Extremes instead. 2 stars

Hi Cindy, hope you have fully recovered from the car accident.

Well, I've taken quite a hit today, The Last King's Amulet sounds really good, so I took myself off to Amazon and before I knew it I had purchased the three books in the trilogy! They were at the reduced price of $2.99 each so I thought "What the heck - I'll get them all!"

Got you hooked!

You sure did! :)

AAAAAAAAhhhhh! I'm behind!! I read so much faster than I post! Too much time working, not enough time typing! And now April is over and it's time for a recap. How about this:

APRIL RECAP

Winning Category (most books read this month): Hebe, children's books. That's because I raided the picture book section. Big winners: Chester, about a cat who takes over his book, and Chalk, a wordless story about some kids who find magic chalk and what they draw. Both wonderful. Other goods ones mentioned above.

Losing Categories with none read this month: Poseidon and Hecate, mostly because I listed all the fantasy I read under Hebe.

Best books this month with 4.5 stars or more:

Ether Day by J M Fenster, 4.5 stars
The Glorious Cause by Jeff Shaara, 5 stars
The Last King's Amulet by Chris Northern, 5 stars
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson, 4.5 stars
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, 4.5 stars
Chalk by Bill Thomson, 5 stars
Chester by Melanie Watt, 5 stars
No One Can Take Your Place by Sheri L. Dew, 5 stars

The only real loser was Last Breath: Cautionary Tales from the Limits of Human Endurance by Peter Stark, 2.25 stars.
Got two excellent steampunk books this month, The Alloy of Law and Airborn. Airborn even has sky pirates, so that's pretty hard to beat. And The Last King's Amulet isn't steampunk, but it does have zombies!

Next month I'll try to round out some of my categories that are kind of thin, but I'm not really pushing myself this year. I want to make sure I have fun with this challenge, so my goal is to read some in each category without worrying about hitting any specific numbers. Maybe 3 in each, but we'll see how it goes towards the end of the year. I'm hoping for 200+ books overall, but I'm not worried about hitting that at all.

72. (skipped a bit there!) The Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif, Apollo category

themes: scientific progress, biology, medicine

I'm conflicted about this book. It was some great material, and great subject choices. It was a good layout, for presentation.

But de Kruif seems to think this readers are not educated about this at all. He's writing to a rather unsophisticated audience, and that bugged me. If you're going to bother with this book, you're probably pretty bright, so go ahead and dig into the subject.

Then again, it's dated, but that can't be helped. It was written in the 20s when sulfa was just barely out, and then it as misunderstood. So it's really pre-antibiotic.

But my biggest objection is that it's racist. Being written in the 20s, there are lots of references to minorities that are offensive. There's also a lot of talk about animal experiments, some of them pretty graphic, so that was unsettling. I'm not opposed to well run animal experiments, but some of this sounded gratuitous and well, gross.

2.5 stars was the best I could do.

73. MagicNet by John DeChancie, Chimera

This was a reread, and I forgot that I didn't really like it it the first time! What a waste of time. Cool idea, poor execution, and then the plot fell apart.

74. Our Mothers' War by Emily Yellin, Ares

Another one that turned out to be a reread! Apparently I need to keep better track of what I read! Some good stories in here, but too much filler and too big a scope, I think. It would have been better if it focused on just a few subjects.

75. The Recruit by Robert Muchamore, Hebe

The first in a teen spy series recommended by my daughter. Not as good as Alex Rider, but it was fun. Not even a little believable, but who cares? It was a good story.

76. A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, Dionysys

Now this is one I'd love to see. The story of Sir Thomas More and his final conflict with King Henry VIII. More will not support the king's divorce from Catherine. But he will not denounce the king and flee the country either. He remains loyal to the king, but loyal to his conscience and his God most of all.

4 stars

77. Henry Knox: Bookseller, Soldier, Patriot by Anita Silvey

I was looking forward to reading this one, and then it turned out to be a picture book. Still, it was a good story and the pictures were pretty good. 4 stars

I had your old thread starred and didn't realize you had started a new one. I'm all caught up now. I've added Over the Edge of the World to my library TBR list.

I too loved The Glorious Cause when I read it a couple of years ago. I've developed a soft spot for Henry Knox, particularly since my hometown gets its name from him. Last summer I read a pretty good biography of Knox by Mark Puls.

I've seen a stage production of A Man for All Seasons and it was excellent. I hope you get a chance to see it live someday.

So glad you're back! I'll have to look for that Mark Puls book.

I can remember reading The Microbe Hunters when I was in high school *&%) years ago. I didn't realize it was that old! Have you read the more modern books about microbes by Richard Preston? The Hot Zone is very scary!

I liked Microcosm: E. Coli and the New Science of Life by Carl Zimmer. It has an average of 4 stars and is reasonably up to date.

I have The Hot Zone on my TBR list, but I hadn't heard of Microcosm. Thanks!

I agree, The Hot Zone is an eye-opener.

book bullet! the hot zone added to my WL

78. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher, Dresden Files book 3, Hecate category

Themes: vampires, ghosts, love, faith, revenge, gritty urban fantasy

Every time I read one of these books I enjoy it, but every time, I can't decide if I want to continue the series or not. I like Harry Dresden, but for some dude who's seen what he's seen, he sure is a smart aleck and why all the doubt? Plus every book it's, "Wow, I'm never going to get out of this mess! How will I survive?" and of course, every book he does. That kind of gets old.

Still, I liked the new character of Michael, the White Knight. Some good twists in this one and some heartache too. Oh, I don't know. I think I'll wait a while and see if I'm drawn back to this series, or if I can just move on. I'm giving it 4 stars, because I did enjoy it while I read it.

I think almost everyone agrees that the Dresden series starts getting better from book 3 onwards. The interactions with those around him allow proper character growth and while the themes of impending doom for Harry continues the other aspects outweigh this feeling.

79. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - not sure what category, if any, this one fits into.

Themes: family secrets, twins, books/stories, parent/child bonding

Read this one for book group. I'd heard a lot about it, and I was looking forward to reading it. Here are some random thoughts:

Good idea for a story. I liked Vida Winter, the writer around whom the story revolves. Good character with a strong voice. I loved all the twists and turns in this one, although I admit to seeing the big secret coming. I didn't like Margaret Lea as much. And I thought the very end was tacked on and came out of nowhere. Not sure if I would recommend it or not. I think so. Good and creepy in parts.

This book paired well with:

80. The Green Man by Michael Bedard, Hecate category

Themes: secrets, magic, books/stories, poetry

This one was an ER book I got through Library Thing. It had a stronger supernatural theme going through it, with ghosts, evil magicians, secret identities and so on. But it also revolves around a bookstore and features two women, one younger, one older. I did like this one, and didn't really foresee who the Big Bad Guy was, but it had a little too much going on. A little confusing at the very end. But it was pretty good.

I love seeing other readers comments on The Thirteenth Tale! I don't think I saw the big secret coming but I have to say I did have some quibbles with - if I remember correctly - the 'stiffness' of Margaret Lea's personality. Does that make sense?

Yeah, and I agree with you! She was so passive that I just wanted to shake her! It seemed like she just surrendered to the "big secret" she carried and never tried to just deal with life.

81. Mister Monday by Garth Nix, Hecate category

Themes: magic, illness, Other Worlds

Arthur Penhaglion is starting a new school when he has an asthma attack (Hmm, been there myself!). This one is different though because he sees strange beings. Then he receives a gift. And that starts him on this quest to protect his Key, defeat Mister Monday, and save his town from the Sleeping Plague.

I liked this book, but didn't love it, for some reason. I love the Sabriel series by Garth Nix, so I was really looking forward to this series. But it sounds like I'm not alone in finding this book less satisfying. I might read the next one, Grim Tuesday, and then see if it picks up or not.

82. Haunted Ground by Erin Hart, Hades category

Themes: secrets, crime, missing mothers and children, tradition vs. technology

A farmer is cutting peat when he find a long buried body in the bog. Well, part of a body. A woman's head. At first, locals think it might belong to a missing mother who disappeared 2-3 years ago, but the head has been there much, much longer. Nora Gavin, a forensic scientist who studies bog bodies, and Cormac Maguire, an archeologist, join up to figure out what happened to the body. Meanwhile a police inspector has been warned off the disappearance of Mina Osborne, but he won't give up the case without one last investigation.

I liked this one, the first in a series set in modern Ireland. For some reason, I had the idea that modern day Ireland is mostly like England, with a little Irish flair. But this book was so totally different, in the names of people and places, in their mindset, and in the setting itself. Just really different, and I really enjoyed my little trip to the Emerald Isle. 4 stars.

83. Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook, Dionysus category

Themes: modern agriculture, social justice, safe food supply, biodiversity, slavery, yummy food versus cheap food

I started this after getting a sample from Amazon on my Kindle. I was hooked. Great stuff about how we got the modern tomato, but quickly becomes about so much more, about the state of farming today, about fair working conditions in Florida, where most US tomatoes are grown, about the reason modern tomatoes taste like cardboard, and lots, lots more. I was completely shocked to read about slavery existing today here in the US and how politicians are so reluctant to get involved. If you care about social justice or about food you should read this one. Not perfect; I got tired of how he defined some terms more than once, but really, really good. 4.5 stars

84. Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay, Hades category
85. A Stitch in Crime by Betty Hechtman, Hades category

Two cozies in a row. The first one features a librarian working on a little island off Connecticut. Her friend and co-worker is suspected of murdering her ex. The second was set in California, about a bookstore employee who is running a retreat with crafting stuff. I liked the first one better. It's the first in a series, and I didn't love it, but I liked it enough to read more. The second one was the 3rd or 4th in a series, and I found the MC kind of annoying and the story rather uninteresting. The secondary characters were annoying. I won't bother with more by this author.

86. The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short by Gerald Morris, Hebe category

This one is a spin-off from Morris's series about the Knights of the Round Table. It was obviously for younger readers, and while I liked it, it was a little too young for me. I'll pass on the rest and just reread The Squire's Tales again.

I'm pretty sure Books Can Be Deceiving is already on my wish list. I'm always on the lookout for mysteries featuring libraries or librarians.

She put a list of other books about librarians in the back too, so that was fun.

Books Can Be Deceiving is on my wish list. I've read the first book in the crochet series, but I've got 2 more to go before I'm ready for the 4th. I hope the formatting was better on the 4th one that the 1st one. Someone managed to format everything to center vertically on the page. If you got to the end of a chapter or something, it was in the middle of page instead of aligned at the top. It drove me crazy on the 1st one.

>54 cmbohn: I've read a couple of Morris' books (for work). I can't remember which one had a description of a huge fight between a knight and a bad guy. After they were done the knight was sitting on a stump and the squire came over to see if he was alright. After a big sigh the knight lamented he had broken a fingernail. It took me by surprise and I burst out laughing in the library.

86. (maybe? I have at least 10 that I didn't count for the challenge, but I'm not sure where to put them) Isaac's Storm: The Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson, Poseidon category

Themes: hubris, disaster, hurricanes, weather, racism, sibling feud

I have to start by thanking LT bcquinnsmom for this awesome read. I gave it 4.5 stars. I would give it 5 if it included maps and pictures, but otherwise, it was amazing, powerful stuff. It built rather like a storm itself - just a few hints that something wasn't right, growing slowly, and then a torrent of truly grim accounts of the horrors people faced in this awful storm. It tells the story of the 1900 hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas. Modern accounts estimate 10,000 dead, including the other towns affected by the storm, but there's no way to really know how many lives were lost. If you enjoy reading disaster accounts, or studying weather, or Texas history, this makes great reading. Reminded me that this is one disaster I was happy to leave behind when I moved to Utah.

87. Salt Bride by Lucinda Brant, Aphrodite category

Themes: love, obsession, misunderstandings, politics

I read this one yesterday on the Kindle and I really enjoyed it, but now that I'm thinking about the plot and how to describe it, I realize that's it's just full of holes. All kinds of things don't get explained about why the characters act the way the did. Jane and the Earl were lovers, but Misunderstandings drove them apart, and now they are forced together again. Will they make it work this time? Well, of course. But despite being totally predictable, it was still fun. And obviously it didn't keep me from enjoying the book, but really, all these peripheral characters and their motives and relationships were confusing. I had no trouble keeping up with the main characters, but these others were not well explained.

Also very annoying was the huge long previews of Brant's other books at the end. Only 80% of the file was our story - the rest was about her other books. That's a bit much. Still, 3 stars.

88. The Serpent's Daughter by Suzanne Arruda, Atlas category

Themes: mothers and daughters, superstition, magic, Islam, trust

Jade arranges to meet her mother in Morocco to try and mend some fences there, but her mother goes missing. Jade sets out to find her but discovers a dead man instead. Then her mother becomes the chief suspect in the murder.

I have mixed feelings on this book. I liked the mother-daughter stuff, and I liked the setting, but the mystical aspect was really dumb. And are we getting a new Super Villain? Because I really don't want to keep that up. It's not like she's Superman or something and she's defeating Lex Luthor. Or since this is a mystery, Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty. I hope the next one is better. This one was disappointing overall. 2.5 stars

Hi Cindy, I remember being rather disappointed with The Serpent's Daughter when I read it a few years ago. I was probably more disappointed than I knew at the time since I haven't continued on with the series since. I should probably give the next one a try, I had such high hopes for this series, it seemed to have all the right ingredients.

Yeah, the first two were a lot better. I'm willing to give the next one a try, but this one was odd. Jade hears a voice from centuries past in this cave and that's never explained. All that stuff about Lillith and the title and stuff, it was kind of weird.

89. Bachelor's Puzzle by Judith Pella, Aphrodite category

Themes: redemption, love, sisters, second chances

The ladies in town are delighted - a new minister is on his way, and he's single. All the matchmaking mamas start a project to welcome him (and to showcase their daughter's homemaking skills) by sewing him a quilt to welcome him.

The newcomer is pretty overwhelmed. But he's not a minister. He's a small time crook, and he's on the run. On his way out of town, escaping an angry loan shark, he meets the real minister, injured and dying. He sits with the man until the end, then buries the unfortunate preacher. Then he gets a brainstorm - so Rev. William Locklin is reborn, and Zack Hartley disappears.

This preaching business is a little tricky, but Zack is sure he can figure it out. Then his heart gets involved. But which girl is right for him?

I liked this one. A sweet, clean read.

Sounds good. Thanks!

90. A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: the Life of William Dampier by Diana Preston, Atlas category

Themes: exploration, natural history, sailing, pirates, science

I just finished another book, Isaac's Storm, which mentions William Dampier and his pioneering work on ocean currents and wind. But it didn't say that he was also a pirate! Or talk about his three voyages around the world, describing species never before seen. Dampier lived during the late 17th and early 18th century too, and was with the first European ship that hit the mainland of Australia. His accomplishments were huge. He deserves to be more well known. I would have rated it higher if it lived up to the introduction, which made it sound like the author retraced his steps and was going to include modern conditions, but that didn't happen. Fun book. 4 stars

91. Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots and More! by Christen Haden, Chimera category

Themes: how to, crochet, creepy critters

Some great ideas in here, but either it's confusing directions, or I really have no idea how to read a pattern. I didn't understand this at all. I think I could figure it out, given enough time, but I was pretty much lost. 2.5 stars

92. Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel, Chimera category

Themes: steampunk, pirates, airships, romance, gypsies

If you were expected Matt Cruse to slow down, now that he's at the Academy, guess again!

Matt is working on a internship when his temporary vessel comes across a missing airship, rumored to hold untold treasure. He and heiress Kate de Vries set off to find her. But there's more pirate in this one, and they are both after the same ship.

My son read this one first and told me it was scary stuff. Then he read further and upgraded it to terrifying. He stayed up late, late finishing this one. I'm not sure I would call it terrifying, but it was exciting all right, and then I stayed up until 1:30 to finish it too!

93. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Dionysus category

Themes: family, illusions, deceit, expectations

Some plays are about huge events, great tragic figures. This one is just about an ordinary unhappy family. Everyone is involved in deceit. Tom is deceiving his mother about his plans to enlist in the merchant marines; Laura is deceiving her about what she does all day, and Amanda is deceiving herself about her children - that they are normal, happy, and that everything will work out. 3.5 stars

The summer reading program is up and running at my library, and I'm planning to win the prize this year - a Kindle Fire. So I'm going to focus on shorter books and easier reads for the next two months, but they still have to be teen or adult books, at least 100 pages long. I was going to enter my review for the crochet book, but it's 4 pages too short!

Bachelor's Puzzle sounds like a fun read. It's available for electronic download from my public library so I've added it to my library wishlist.

Good luck with the summer reading program. Hope you win that Kindle Fire!

I'll be rooting for you to win that Kindle Fire, Cindy.

Thanks!

A Romantic Way to Die by Bill Crider, Hades category, 4 stars

Sheriff Dan Rhodes's wife assures him that everyone wants to write a book, and from the interest in the writer's conference in his little county, it sure looks that way. But when one of the aspiring writer's dies suddenly, it brings out the nastier side of publishing too. And then there's the other little quirks of rural Texas life - the Peeping Toms, the break ins, the mysterious lights at
the funeral home. Fun story.

Started reading The Martian Chronicles today in honor of Ray Bradbury's passing. Extremely good so far.

Golden Buddha by Clive Cussler, Poseidon category (because it centers around a boat and there's so much travel in this one)

Themes: caper comedy, religion, free Tibet, escape

Good escapist fun. Reminds me a little of Ocean's 11 with the big setup and getaway, except that these guys are crooks with a purpose. I got bogged down sometimes with the politics and technical details. I'm really glad he had a list of characters in the beginning; otherwise, I never would have been able to keep them all straight. Reminds me a bit of Cowboys and Indians, really. It's like a Western only at sea.

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, Chimera category, 5 stars

Themes: space, Mars, apocalypse, how soon can humans mess up a planet

I wish I had read this sooner. Contains a selection of stories about Earth's exploration of Mars, but it's really a chance for Bradbury to write about what's wrong with humans on this planet. Great stories in here. My favorite was the one about the Blacks leaving in a group for a Promised Land in space. Haunting stories that will definitely stay with me. I was surprised at how dark it was, but without being overtly dramatic about it.

Death Takes the Cake by Melinda Wells
Sprinkle With Murder by Jenn McKinlay

Two cozies with recipes back to back. The first one features TV chef Della Carmichael in a cooking competition. Turns out it's run by her college rival, who winds up dead. This was the second in the series and I didn't love it.

The second one was a little better. Melanie and her best friends run a cupcake shop in Arizona. Then her bestie's fiance winds up dead after eating one of their cupcakes. Melanie is suspect number one. It was also fun, but not great, and I think the dynamic with her overpowering mother will really get on my nerves if she lets it go on. But I'd like to read another one. (BTW, what is it with the overpowering moms? Why is that in so many series? Are there that many women who can't set boundaries? Seriously, move out of state if necessary!)

Who Let that Killer in the House? by Patricia Sprinkle

Everyone in town is loving the new softball coach - until he's accused of getting too close to his players. Most of them are white. He's black. Then his body is discovered, an apparent suicide. It looks like there are some nasty secrets hiding in this sweet Georgia town.

I realized partway through this that I'd read it before. I would recommend it, if you like southern cozies. Much better than...

Death on the Family Tree, also by Patricia Sprinkle

Idle rich woman with empty nest gets involved in a mystery after inheriting some treasures. I thought it took her way too long to figure things out, but I did like that she FINALLY developed a backbone. Seriously, what took so long? It had a genealogy twist, but not enough that that made a difference in whether I wanted to read it. I won't read more in this series.

The Murder Stone by Charles Todd

Francesca is mourning the loss of her 5 cousins in WWI, and then the death of her beloved grandfather. But after his death, she discovers how many secrets the old man concealed. Great twist ending.

>79 cmbohn: I feel the same way about those two series. I really like the Thoroughly Southern Mysteries, but I don't care for the Family Tree Mysteries. I don't like the main character in the Family Tree Mysteries, and the plots seem to have a few holes in them, too.

I read The Murder Stone a number of years ago and remember really liking it. I wish Charles Todd would write more stand-alone mysteries.

Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings, Hecate category

Themes: gods, magic, saving the world, the boy who lived (sort of)

Garion lives with his aunt, having a rather innocent simple childhood. But he and his aunt have to go on the run when Bad Guys come after them. They take a very long journey, meet up with mysterious but entertaining companions, and have adventures. Everyone Garion meets is hiding a secret. A couple of problems - a VERY BORING, VERY LOOOOOOOOOONG introduction, with fake medieval language and wizard-y names; plus Garion and his aunt, Pol, kind of bug me. Garion is so naive, so trusting, and so SLOW to figure out what's going on. And Pol is mysterious just cause it's fun to bug the reader.

It sounds like I'm giving it a bad review, but I did like it enough to want to read the next one in the series. I guess it got me curious. And Garion may develop into a more interesting character. We'll see. The library has the next one for me on hold, so I guess I'll decide if I like it or not.

God Wants a Powerful People by Sheri L. Dew

I usually love her books, but this one was hard for me to get into at first and I found it a little repetitive. The stories were good and there was plenty to think about, but it seemed to move really slow. I hope her next one is better. Still, 4 stars.

Lots of sci-fi and cozy reviews this month; reviews coming.

Hi Cindy - I finally found you again - I lost you when you started the new thread. I see that you're still reading a lot of good books, so I'll go back up to the top and find out just what I've been missing.

Welcome back! I don't know how to do the thing with the "This thread is a continuation of" at the top, so I guess I'm a little hidden away!

More mysteries:

After the Armistice Ball by Catriona McPherson - Set in 1920s England, this series will remind you of a lot of others - the Daisy Dalrymple series, Lord Peter Wimsey, Albert Campion, early Poirot. It's not as light and fluffy as the Daisy Dalrymple series seems to me, and not as much fun as the others, but I did enjoy it. Complicated plot involving a jewel theft at a Stately Home party, attempted insurance fraud, and then a horrible house fire. Lots of twists. First in the series.

The Leopard's Prey by Suzanne Arruda - Set back in Kenya this time, and much better than the previous one. Jade is working with a group capturing animals for zoos back in the US when she and her boyfriend Sam get involved in a missing person case. Very satisfying.

Dead in the Water by Dana Stabenow - Set in Alaska in the fishing trade. The setting in fact is the strongest part of this book for me. The previous two have been amazing, but this one fell a little flat for some reason. Maybe the characters weren't as strong? Not sure, but the brutal description of life on a fishing vessel, our main character Kate Shugak the only female on board, wow, the conditions were horrible. Great read, though.

More cupcake mysteries:

Buttercream Bump Off and Death by the Dozen by Jenn McKinlay, 2 & 3 in the series. Liked the second better; the third one was too predictable and the recipes were a little weird, although I'm curious about the Banana Fritters and the Chocolate Chili cupcakes. Honestly, though, this series reminds me a lot of cupcakes, sweet and light and nothing left over when you're done.

Some teen/kids reads:

Love, Stargirl Fun sequel to the original, also by Jerry Spinelli. This one is entirely told by Stargirl, in a long letter to Leo, her ex-boyfriend. Very funny in parts, but full of the anguish of a broken teenage heart. I only gave it 3 stars, but just because it was for younger readers. I think they would enjoy it.

Mothstorm by Philip Reeve, last in the Larklight trilogy. Super fun kid's steampunk, complete with space pirates, giant space moths, evil villains, true love, and great illustrations throughout. Lots of action and humor. Great series to read aloud.

Crossed by Ally Condie, 2nd in Matched series. Not as good as the first one. Cassie and Ky are kept apart for much of the first half of the book, and it's told in alternating viewpoints. That's fine, but when they do get together, it sort of stalls. Lots of looking for where to go next and lots of holes left in the story. I suppose I will read the final book, but don't believe the comparisons with The Hunger Games. This is nowhere near as good and not as meaty a message either.

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar. Mostly about bridge, but a lot about life and growing up too. Alton gets a job as cardturner for his bridge-obsessed uncle, who has gone blind. His mother wants him to suck up to his rich uncle, but Alton is fine with just being in his company. Better if you understand bridge, I'm sure, but those parts are easy enough to skip. However, that makes for a much shorter read.

Stay at Home Dead by Jeffrey Allen

I liked this twist on a traditional cozy. It's told by a stay at home dad who gets framed for a murder. The book is set in Texas, which I also liked, since that's my home state. Funny in parts. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Little Sister by Kara Dalkey

Children's historical fiction set in medieval Japan, before samurai. I really enjoyed this one - not what I expected at all. It would be great to read aloud. I don't want to give away too much, but let me say that it's about a wealthy noble family who run into tragedy and a daughter who fights to save her sister.

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Reminded me a little of a kaleidoscope - every turn would reveal something different. You know the PSA - "It's all in how you look at it"? About a candy making contest for children and four kids who meet to work on their recipes. Everyone is hiding something. Also would be great for reading aloud, and it will make you want a treat! Great summer book.

A few losers:

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle
Another of those heroines who faints at the sight of blood. Really? Just didn't like the whole style of the book, much too bouncy or something.

The Necropolis Railway by Andrew Martin
Supposed to be a creepy atmospheric thriller set in Victorian London, but too slow. I got bored.

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
About the real Alice in Wonderland, Alice Liddard and her relationship with Charles Dodgson. I found it too disturbing to finish.

A Clue for the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
I don't find alcoholism lovable or funny.

I have the necropolis railway on the shelf but always pass over it for shinier books, your review doesn't push it any further up the list!