Delta Queen's 12 in 12 Challenge. Part 3

Welcome to Part Three of my 12 in 12 Challenge.




Symbols:

♫ ♫ = Audio Book

† † = E-Read Book

Categories

1. Do You Believe In Magic? by The Loving Spoonfuls - Fantasy Books of all types from Fairy Tales to Urban to Steampunk
2. They Did the Mash, The Monter Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Cryptkickers - Books with Vampires and Zombies, etc.
3. Just Like Romeo and Juliet by The Relections - Historical Fiction Books
4. Home, Home On the Range by The Sons of the Pioneers - Books about the American West
5. Cause this is Thriller, Thriller Night by Michael Jackson - Books of Mystery and Crime
6. I Will Follow Him by Little Peggy March - Books in a Series
7. I Heard It Thru the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye - Books that have been recommended
8. I See Your True Colors by Cyndi Lauper - Non-fiction Books
9. Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It by Rod Stewart - Graphic Novels
10. Soldier Boy, I'll be True to You by the Shirelles - Books About War and the Homefront
11. For the Very Young At Heart by Frank Sinatra - YA Books and Children's Literature
12. You Gotta Go Where You Wanna Go by the Mamas and the Papas - Books I feel like reading

and I've added a place for the monthly bonus reads

13. Calendar Girl by Neil Sedaka - Monthly Bonus Reads

1. Do You Believe In Magic?



1. Zoo City† † by Lauren Beukes - 3.4 ★
2. Soulless by Gail Carriger - 3.8 ★
3. The UnTied Kingdom†† by Kate Johnson - 3.3 ★
4. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi - 4.5 ★
5. War For The Oaks by Emma Bull - 4.4 ★
6. The Goose Girl†† by Shannon Hale - 5.0 ★
7. Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie - 4.5 ★
8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - 4.0 ★
9. Enna Burning†† by Shannon Hale - 3.0 ★

2. The Monster Mash



Books Read

1. The Dead by Charlie Higson - 4.1 ★
2. Pale Immortal†† by Anne Frasier - 3.4 ★
3. Enclave by Ann Aguirre - 4.2 ★
4. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry - 4.3 ★
5. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan - 4.5 ★
6. Hollowland†† by Amanda Hocking - 2.0 ★
7. The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan - 4.0 ★
8. Tooth And Nail†† by Craig DiLouie - 3.5 ★
9. Breed by Chase Novak - 4.1 ★

3. Just Like Romeo and Juliet



1. Seven Days In June by Howard Fast - 3.6 ★
2. Island of Ghosts by Gillian Bradshaw - 4.2 ★
3. Shadow Valley†† by Stephen Barnes - 4.6 ★
4. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin - 5.0 ★
5. The Running Vixen by Elizabeth Chadwick - 4.0 ★
6. The White Russian by Tom Bradby - 4.5 ★
7. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - 4.5 ★
8. The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 4.3 ★
9. The Legate's Daughter by Wallace Breem - 3.9 ★

4. Home, Home on the Range



Books

1. Cheyenne Autumn by Mari Sandoz - 4.2 ★
2. Where the Buffalo Roam by Michael Zimmer - 3.6 ★
3. Down the Long Hills†† by Louis L'Amour - 3.7 ★
4. The Holy Road by Michael Blake - 4.3 ★
5. Hombre†† by Elmore Leonard - 3.7 ★
6. Fearless: A Novel of Sarah Bowman by Lucia St Clair Robson - 4.2 ★
7. The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter van Tilburg Clark - 4.5 ★
8. Stone Song: A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse by Win Blevins - 5.0 ★
9. Resolution†† by Robert B Parker - 4.0 ★

5. Thriller Night



1. Nemesis † † by Agatha Christie - 3.6 ★
2. Iron House † † by John Hart - 4.2 ★
3. Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran - 3.8 ★
4. Christine Falls by Benjamin Black - 3.2 ★
5. Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum - 3.7 ★
6. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn - 3.3 ★
7. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths - 4.2 ★
8. Venice Noir edited by Maxim Jakubowski - 3.7 ★
9. The Black Angel by Cornell Woolrich - 4.0 ★
10. Murder on the Links†† by Agatha Christie - 4.0 ★

6. I Will Follow Him



Books

1. Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger - 4.0 ★
2. Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers - 3.7 ★
3. Remember Me, Irene by Jan Burke - 3.2 ★
4. One Under by Graham Hurley - 4.0 ★
5. All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie - 3.7 ★
6. Dead Man's Footsteps by Peter James - 4.3 ★
7. Playing With Bones by Kate Ellis - 4.3 ★
8. King of the Streets by John Baker - 4.3 ★
9. A Shilling For Candles by Josephine Tey - 4.0 ★
10. Bad Boy by Peter Robinson - 4.3 ★

7. Heard It Thru the Grapevine



Books:

1. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh - 5.0 ★
2. The Peacock Spring by Rumer Godden - 4.5 ★
3. The Night Following by Morag Joss - 4.8 ★
4. David Copperfield†† by Charles Dickens - 4.3 ★
5. Lennox by Craig Russell - 4.2 ★
6. Revolution†† by Jennifer Donnelly - 3.7 ★
7. Box Nine by Jack O'Connell - 4.3 ★
8. The High Crusade by Poul Anderson - 4.1 ★

8. True Colors



Books

1. Skeletons On The Zahara by Dean King - 4.5 ★
2. When the Astors Owned New York by Justin Kaplan - 3.2 ★
3. Jeannie: A Love Story by Derek Tangye - 3.4 ★
4. The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance & Survival by John Vaillant - 4.4 ★
5. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen - 5.0 ★
6. Life ♫♫ by Keith Richards - 5.0 ★
7. Sixpence House by Paul Collins - 2.8 ★
8. 22 Accessible Road Trips by Candy Harrington - 4.0 ★
9. Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak - 4.0 ★

9. Every Picture Tells A Story



Books

1. Sweet Tooth Vol. 2: In Captivity by Jeff Lemire - 3.6 ★
2. The Sandman Vol 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman - 4.2 ★
3. Blankets by Craig Thompson - 5.0 ★
4. Fables Vol 1: Legends In Exile by Bill Willingham - 3.6 ★
5. Hatter M: Volume 1: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor - 3.3 ★
6. A Sickness In the Family by Denise Mina - 4.2 ★
7. Emma, Vol 1 by Kaoru Mori - 3.6 ★

10. Soldier Boy



Books

1. The Last Sunrise by Robert Ryan - 4.1 ★
2. The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst - 4.6 ★
3. Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare - 3.4 ★
4. The Moon Is Down♫♫ by John Steinbeck - 5.0 ★
5. Blue Skies & Gunfire by K.M. Peyton - 3.4 ★
6. Remembrance by Theresa Breslin - 4.1 ★
7. The Lotus Eaters†† by Tatjana Soli - 4.2 ★
8. Harp of Burma by Michio Takeyama - 4.2 ★
9. The Heart of the Family by Annie Groves - 3.8 ★

11. The Young At Heart



1. The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison - 3.4 ★
2. Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah - 3.5 ★
3. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - 4.0 ★
4. Yesterday's Dead by Pat Bourke - 4.0 ★
5. The Dead and the Gone†† by Susan Beth Pfeffer - 4.1 ★
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth - 5.0 ★
7. The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner - 3.5 ★
8. Mr. Monster by Dan Wells - 3.7 ★
9. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm†† by Kate Douglas Wiggin - 3.0 ★
10. Forge by Leslie Halse Anderson - 4.1 ★

12. Go Where You Wanna Go



Books:

1. Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman - 4.3 ★
2. The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley - 3.7 ★
3. Great Expectations †† by Charles Dickens - 3.6 ★
4. Countdown by Deborah Wiles - 4.3 ★
5. Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon - 3.7 ★
6. Marcelo In the Real World by Francisco X. Stork - 4.7 ★
7. Warrior Daughter by Janet Paisley - 3.2 ★
8. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh - 5.0 ★
9. The Cotton Queen by Pamela Morsi - 3.8 ★

13. Calender Girl - A Bonus Challenge



Books

1. A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly (Monthly Challenge - January) - 3.3 ★
2. White Nights by Anne Cleeves (Monthly Challenge - February) - 4.2 ★
3. Two Corinthians†† by Carola Dunn (Monthly Challenge - February) - 3.5 ★
4. March by Geraldine Brooks (Monthly Challenge - March) - 4.4 ★
5. Lazybones by Mark Billingham (Monthly Challenge - March) - 4.0 ★
6. April In Paris by Michael Wallner (Monthly Challenge - April) - 3.6 ★
7. Rose In Bloom†† by Lousia May Alcott (Monthly Challenge - May) - 3.2 ★
8. Trust Nobody by June Hampson (Monthly Challenge - June) - 3.8 ★
9. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (Monthly Challenge - July) - 3.9 ★
10. Tall Poppies by Louise Bagshawe (Monthly Challenge - August) - 3.1 ★
11. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson - 4.5 ★

68. Warrior Daughter by Janet Paisley - 3.2 ★
12 in 12 Category: Go Where You Wanna Go
Reading Thru Time Quarterly Read: Ancient Times



I was expecting to be totally carried away to another time and place by Warrior Woman by Janet Paisley, a book about a legendary woman chieftain who lived on the island of Skye in the first century AD. Unfortunately that didn’t happen with this book. The author painstakingly tells the story of Sgathaich who was known to lead a matriarchal society, and many details of the druidic based religion and seasonal rituals were included. I can’t speak to the authenticity of the author’s historic details, but as so little is known of this time period, the author had to rely on her imagination to tell this story that encompassed the life of this legend, from a young girl to a mature woman.

The story felt more like a sword and sorcery based fantasy, than true historical fiction. I found it lagged a little in the middle, but did pick up and come to a satisfactory conclusion. It simply may have been a case of the wrong book at the wrong time for me, but I never felt like I got to tap into any emotional depth or true human feeling with this story.

There were some very interesting details added, especially the power that these women had. Men were portrayed as little more than servants and playthings, with women making all major decisions, and choosing or discarding their mates at will. Whether these details were in fact, true, I find a little hard to believe, and probably added a little to my being uneasy with this story.

Wow, am I the first visitor to your new thread, your third?

Looks like your making good progress with your challenge, and also making sure that you spread your reading out evenly among all of your categories. Of course I don't do that, which is why I find myself in trouble toward the end!

Hi Lisa and welcome to my third thread. One thing I know for sure is that next year I will have more room for thrillers and mysteries! I read far more of them than just about anything. This year I am stuffing mysteries into other categories if I can squeeze them in, but I really miss a place for classic mysteries by the likes of Agatha, Dorothy and Josephine, etc

Third thread already - that's lots of reading you've gotten done.

I see you rated Mistress of the Art of Death with 5 stars. I heartedly recommend the other three books in the series.

Hi Betty and Mamzel, I have been steadily chipping away at the challenge, I can see that I will meet my goal, and as I mentioned above, I am already planning my next year's categories.

I loved Mistress of the Art of Death and look forward to continuing on with this series.

69. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen - 5.0 ★
12 in 12 Category: True Colors
Reading Through Time: Historical Mysteries



In The Devil In The White City, author Erik Larsen cleverly entwines the story of the Chicago’s 1893 World’s Fair with that of a serial killer who was going about his grisly business in the Chicago area at the same time. Switching the stories from chapter to chapter, allowing the reader to experience both the mounting excitement as the fair slowly evolved alternately with the horror and dread that this killer was never going to be uncovered made for a masterful read.

While we read of the fair being conceived, the site being chosen, the day to day details of the construction, we are also reading of American history. Many, if not most, of the major personalities of the time are included in these pages. This book brings both a city and a country to vivid life at the closing end of the century in a time that became known as The Gilded Age. Contrasting the brilliant architect whose vision became known as the White City, with the slimily engaging, cunning murderer who lured his victims to their untimely death was a brilliant idea.

This book engages the reader from the first page to the last, unique in vision, informative and entertaining, I highly recommend The Devil in the White City.

Thanks for the great review of The Devil in the White City. It sounds like something I'll enjoy and I've added it to my wishlist.

Sad to say - I'm one of the few people who didn't really enjoy The Devil in the White City. And I can't even remember why. Just didn't even finish it.

Hi Paulina and Betty, I find with my non-fiction reads that I know pretty much from the first few chapters if it is going to be a book that I will enjoy reading. I hope you give it a try, Paulina, and see if it is for you. I guess it just wasn't the right book for you at the time, Betty. It does get rather dark in places.

Hi Judy! Count me in as another fan of Devil in the White City. Congrats on thread #3!

Hi Laura, and thanks for the congratulations.

70. Hombre†† by Elmore Leonard - 3.7 ★
12 in 12 Category: Home On the Range



Hombre by Elmore Leonard is a classic gem of a western tale. This author, known for his thrillers, has also written some of the best westerns around. This is a simple story of a loner who helps the survivors of a stagecoach robbery, but in Leonard’s capable hands a story of prejudice, survival and moral honesty emerges.

Hombre is John Russell, a man who was raised by Apaches but lives in a white world that doesn’t accept him. Told he is not “white” enough to ride in the stagecoach, he is banished to ride upon the roof. After being robbed and left in the desert with no transportation or water, these same people turn to him and expect him to save them.

Once can’t help but picture Paul Newman as Hombre, a role he made famous in the movies. Every time the character’s piercing blue eyes are mentioned, I saw Newman’s face. This is a quick read, but though short in page numbers, there is a powerful story here and one that I really enjoyed.

I've only read some of Elmore Leonard's thrillers so far but it's good to know that his westerns can be equally enthralling.

Hi Dave, I'm just the opposite having read more of Leonard's westerns then his thrillers. I read somewhere that he admires Hemingway greatly and models his writing on that style. I have to admit I can see the similarity with Leonard's stripped down prose that just seems to hit the right tone. I must make a plan to get to more of his thrillers in the future.

71. Blue Skies & Gunfire by K.M. Peyton - 3.4 ★
12 in 12 Category: Soldier Boy



Blue Skies & Gunfire by K.M. Peyton is the story of a young, immature girl who is torn between loving two brothers which results in sadness and tragedy for all. Set against the backdrop of WW II in the summer of 1940, sixteen year old Josie is sent to her aunts in the country as the Germans are bombing London prior to their expected invasion. At first not pleased to be sent away, Josie soon meets a posh young man and embarks on a summer romance. When his dashing, older brother, pilot Chris turns up, Josie falls for him completely, breaking the heart of his younger brother.

Of course these three are living in wartime, and war has a way of taking over and controlling the destiny of everyone. This YA story with it’s earnest young love and adolescent yearnings coming up against the hard facts of life was a compelling story. I would have liked to have seen the characters a little more fleshed out, particular the two brothers as their relationship was supposed to be a close one, but had it’s share of secrets and guilt. My other concern was with the ending. I felt the way the author concluded the story left too much uncertainty for the future happiness of these characters.

These concerns aside, I enjoyed this book that contrasted the carefree feelings of adolescents discovering love for the first time with the daily terror people were living at that time with dogfights above them and bombs crashing down around them,

Blue Skies and Gunfire looks good - thanks for the review!

Hi Victoria. Blue Skies & Gunfire had it's flaws, but I admit I still got caught up in it and shed a few tears as well. I don't know why but I always enjoy a book that can bring on a good cry!

Hi Judy - caught up with your new thread. Great review for Devil in the White City. I keep looking at that one. I just may get around to picking it up. Hope you hare having a great weekend and enjoying the beautiful weather we are having!

72. Hatter M: Volume 1: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor - 3.3 ★
Category: Every Picture Tells A Story



Hatter M: Volume 1: The Looking Glass Wars is the first in Frank Beddor’s series that follows the quest of Hatter M to find, rescue and restore the Princess Alyss to her rightful place as the future Queen of Wonderland.

Hatter M is a fresh twist on the works of Lewis Carroll stories of Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Ordered by his Queen to take her daughter Alyss from Wonderland and keep her safe, Bodyguard Hatter M is distraught when Alyss slips from his arms during the transformation and is now lost in our world. It is 1859 and he is faced with battling the forces of Black Imagination while trying to pick up the glow of the Princess. He starts in Paris and moves on to Budapest, although he succeeds in a rescue, it is not Alyss and his search must continue on into other books.

While I found the idea of this book fascinating, the actual book itself seems to have missed the mark slightly. I found that the story jumped around rather abruptly and I had a hard time figuring out exactly what was going on, perhaps because I haven’t read the actual trilogy of books that these graphic novels are based on. The artwork was strangely distorted, but I felt that it fit the style of the story wonderfully. I will probably pick up the next volume at some point as I am now interested in where this story is going.

73. The Goose Girl†† by Shannon Hale - 5.0 ★
Category: Do You Believe In Magic?



They say timing is everything, and I feel that this must have been the exact right time for me to read The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. I loved this book that was based on a favorite Grimm Brother’s fairy tale. Taking the original story and adding twists and detail, Shannon Hale has enhanced the original, and by populating it with great characters, vivid descriptions and a juicy plotline she has offered up a book that deserves it’s beloved status.

This is a book that allows you to transport to another world, another time, and get lost in the pages. It is also a tale that has a definite modern outlook toward love and relationships. Yes, it is a romantic princess tale, but with a strong leading character that shapes her world, doesn’t settle and is able to find happiness even when alone. Of course, when she does find her prince, he is just about perfect, being someone who obviously will allow his wife both freedom and her own sense of power.

Written in lyrical, descriptive prose, Hale has build a believable world where these strange and magical happenings actually ring true. An incredibly imaginative and appealing read that has placed Shannon Hale in my must-read-more-of category.

Sorry to read that Hatter M didn't quite live up to the expectation.... it does look interesting!

K.M. Peyton's Flambards trilogy was one of my favorite reads when I was young, I can't even tell you how many times I reread it, but for some reason, I've never read any of her other books. That should be rectified. :) I've seen so many recommendations for Devil in the White City - it needs to go on the wishlist!

#37 - Hi Lori, are having the same crazy weather as we are over here on the mainland. In the mornings I get up to grey skies and chilly temps. but by mid-day, the sky clears and it heats up. I felt like an idiot today at the grocery store walking around in my heavy jeans and a jacket!

#38 - Hi Eva, you are the second person who has mentioned the Flambards trilogy, as Suzanne (Chatterbox) also wrote of it on my 75 thread. I must look into this trilogy!

There's also a brilliant TV-series version that I highly recommend.

74. Dead Man's Footsteps by Peter James - 4.3 ★
Category: I Will Follow Him



The fourth in his DS Roy Grace series, Dead Man’s Footsteps by Peter James continues the high standard of the series. Although so far none of the books has matched the high suspense level that the first book delivered, this one comes close. The series is classed as a police procedural, but these have the added bonus of being fast paced with thrilling plots that keep the pages flying by.

Roy Grace is a complex character with a strong work ethic and although he has his problems with one superior, and jealousy is an issue with another, overall he is a well respected member of the Sussex Police. Working and living in Brighton, Roy’s main issues stem from his past and his wife who disappeared without a trace over nine years ago. Although he is trying to move on and develop new relationships, having a missing person case of this nature plays havoc with his personal life.

Dead Man’s Footsteps deals with how Ronnie Wilson, a shady businessman, took advantage of having scheduled a meeting at the World Trade Center in New York on the morning of September 11, 2001. Now, years later, bodies are beginning to surface - one in Brighton and one in Australia - that have connections to Ronnie Wilson. DS Grace and his team are beginning to suspect that perhaps Ronnie survived 9/11. Meanwhile, a young woman is in hiding in Brighton, but her nemesis has found her and now she is fighting for her life. As the tension mounts, the police seem to be moving ever so closer to putting the pieces together and we can see these storylines start to merge.

I felt a little like I was riding a rollercoaster as the book seemed to move faster and faster as we drew to the end. With many a twist and turn this is a genuine thriller and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

>22 DeltaQueen50: Devil in the white city is already firmly on my list, so no new bullet there. A brilliant little review nonetheless!
>36 DeltaQueen50: A 4,33 rating average is pretty impressive! But I don't think this one is for me.

Catching up here. . .
>22 DeltaQueen50: interesting that you liked this book. I felt that it was two stories combined because the author could not find (or be bothered to find) enough to on either story to make a complete story. And I felt that it lacked depth.

Hatter M sounds interesting. . .

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

#42 - I hope you enjoy The Devil in the White City when you get to it. And, yes, The Goose Girl might be a little girly for you. ;)

#43 - I never thought that lack of subject material was the reason behind the 2 story lines in The Devil in the White City, but I could certainly see where that could be true especially in the part about the serial murderer. Crime dectection and records were scantily kept, and I did notice that the author had to imply a lot about this killer as so much was unknown about him.

I think Hatter M will be an interesting series to follow, and I've been told that the original trilogy of books are pretty good as well.

I need to read Shannon Hale. I've heard rave reviews for all of her fairytale-based books.

I'm a big fan of Shannon Hale.

I love Shannon Hale too! Sometimes I need a good girly book.

Everything I've read by Shannon Hale has been good. I need to try the ones I've missed.

I am actually glad that The Goose Girl was my first Shannon Hale, now I have a whole bunch of her books to look forward to!

75. Venice Noir edited by Maxim Jakubowski - 3.7 ★
Category: Thriller Night



Venice Noir is a collection of stories that have been edited by Maxim Jakubowski,. Validating his opinion that Venice is a city of the world, authors of different nationalities were invited to make contributions to this collection. Authors like Peter James from the UK, Michelle Lovric from Australia, Emily St John Mandel from Canada, as well as various European authors answered his call resulting in an anthology of fourteen stories, each set in a distinct neighbourhood that gives great flavor and authenticity to these stories.

Venice Noir takes a look at the dark, underbelly of Venice, as stories of murder, treachery and passion unwind on the pages evoking a sense of decay and despair and showing a side of this city that is rarely seen.
According to the dictionary, the definition of Noir is crime fiction that features hard boiled characters and bleak sleazy settings. This book comes close at times, in particular stories like Cloudy Water by Matteo Righetto and Little Sister by Francesca Mazzucato are very dark, while others such as Peter James’ Venice Aphrodisiac and Maria Tronca’s Tourists For Supper strike a chord of grotesque humor rather than noir.

Even though these stories varied greatly in quality, I enjoyed this collection set in one of Europe’s premier cities. Dark, atmospheric and extremely readable, I will definitely be on the lookout for more in the Akashic Books Noir series.

Quick skim only of your review as I have Venice Noir on my TBR ER pile. Hope you have had a great weekend Judy!

Hi Judy, congratulations on thread 3! I saw your comment in post 18 about having to fit mysteries into other categories - I am doing the same with the romance novels :-) I like the sound of the K M Peyton, and the Shannon Hale. My library has that one as an ebook, but it's currently out on loan. I'll have to wishlist it.

#51 - Hi Lori, had a quiet weekend but managed to get a fair amount of reading done which always pleases me. Hope things are going well on the Island.

#52 - Hi Susan, I liked both authors, but I would really encourage you to try a Shannon Hale, I really liked her spin on the fairy tale.

76. Divergent by Veronica Roth - 5.0 ★
Category: Young At Heart



Divergent by Veronica Roth is a dystopian story set in Chicago in a future that finds the people divided into factions, and each child, at the age of sixteen takes an aptitude test that helps them decide which faction they should choose to join. Sixteen year old Beatrice knows that she doesn’t belong to the selfless Abnegation faction that she has been raised into, she has always been drawn to the fearless Dauntless faction. But choosing a different faction means turning her back on her family, as in this world faction comes before blood.

From the moment I opened this book I was captured by both the story and setting, but what made this book so superior for me were the characters. Beatrice or “Tris” as she becomes known is a small, skinny, flat-chested girl with a huge heart and courage to spare that I immediately liked. The other main character, Tobias is revealed to us more slowly, yet still comes off as a complete character, with his flaws, secrets and heroism revealed layer by layer.

The first story of a planned trilogy, Divergent sets the scene and tone for what is to follow. With non-stop action, great plot building and interesting moral choices for the characters to make, this story comes alive on the pages. We have the added bonus of a burgeoning love story between Tris and Tobias, which the author handles both lightly and deftly.

Divergent is a YA read that shows these characters taking charge of their lives, making snap decisions that will reverberate through the rest of the trilogy as they learn how to set new rules for this changing world that they live in. I am looking forward to following these characters into their future.

After hearing so many good reviews, I've added Divergent to my wishlist. I'm sure my teenage daughter would love it too.

Divergent has been on my tbr shelves for a bit and has been a possibility for a place in this year's challenge. Looks like it will move up to a probability now.

I'm so looking forward to Divergent after hearing everyone rave - I have decided to wait until the trilogy is finished, though, since I'll get much too impatient waiting for the last part otherwise! :)

#55 - Paulina, I think both you and your daughter will enjoy this book. I am going to pass it along to my younger daughter as I think she will enjoy it as well.

#56 - Hi Dave, it's a great read and I think you will enjoy it.

#57 - Hi Eva, I was going to wait, but I am so slow at getting to the next book that the third may well be out before I get to the second. Especially now that I know that I will most probably love it, I tend to cling onto books that I know I will love until I really, really need a good read.

I've seen rave reviews of Divergent before, but this one hammers it home for me. Starred!

I've now ordered Divergent from my local library. It's still "In Cataloging" but I'm the first to request it.Of course, getting from 'we have it' to 'ready to check out' sometimes is a long wait!

Good morning, Anders and Tricia - Divergent is well worth the wait, I hope you both enjoy it. Anders, I'm fully expecting Cirkeln to be the next breakaway hit in YA after the Divergent trilogy. I'm looking forward to the English translation coming out this summer.

Tricia, I remember having to wait over three months once for a new book to go through the cataloging process. I wondered at the time, if that meant the librarians were having first crack at it!

->58 DeltaQueen50:
I would abolutely like to start now, but I am aware that I go a little bonkers when it comes to series, so it's better I wait (I will at least try!). :)

77. Remembrance by Theresa Breslin - 4.1 ★
Category: Soldier Boy



Remembrance by Theresa Breslin is a story that is set against the huge backdrop of World War I, and yet tells the small story of five young people from a tiny Scottish village. Two families, one of the upper class gentry and the other a family of shopkeepers, but the war makes a huge imprint on both.

These five people all have different attitudes toward what is happening both at home and in France, with a couple of the boys eagerly embracing the life of a soldier and one who has no intention of fighting, until conscription forces him to go. The girls, left behind, are experiencing the changes that are evolving in society and in their homes, neither class or gender are as important now as becoming involved and doing their share. They train as nurses and find themselves shipped to France to nurse at the front. What happens to these five over the course of the war, who survives and what they go on to become makes for a thought-provoking story on the loss of innocence and vulnerability.

Both a coming of age and love story, Remembrance captures the heart wrenching feeling of first love, along with the shattering of courage and dreams that the horror of trench warfare brought to this generation. Although a little simplistic in it’s views, nevertheless this is a well written historical fiction novel on the consequences of war.

78. A Sickness In the Family by Denise Mina - 4.2 ★
Category: Every Picture Tells A Story



Denise Mina is one of the leaders of Scotland’s Tartan Noir genre and her stories generally fall to the dark side. In A Sickness in the Family, she continues the tradition. A graphic novel with artwork by Antonio Fuso, this is one from the Vertigo series of crime stories by various authors, which includes one by Ian Rankin. In shades of black, white and grey, this twisted tale slowly reveals the dark undercurrents of one family.

Told in flashback form, the story opens on Christmas Day and all seems normal as the Usher family gathers around the dinner table. Their festive meal is interrupted by the screaming of the couple who live in the downstairs flat. This couple is soon found, both dead, appearing to be a murder-suicide.

Deciding that they need the room, the father opens this house up to include the basement flat. Strange things start to happen and before long they are accusing each other and casting suspicious looks. One by one they start to die. Who is behind the murders? Each one of them has a good reason to want the others dead, or, could this be the house itself that is causing this evil to erupt.

Foreboding and creepy, Denise Mina delivers a story that suits this genre perfectly. The accompanying artwork helps to keep the mood sombre and chilling. If you are interested in a small walk on the dark side, I would recommend A Sickness In the Family.

Have you read the graphic novel, Britten and Brülightly? It's written in the noir style with a great sense of humor. The side-kick, Brulightly, is a tea bag.

The Mina book is definitely going on the wishlist - I had no idea she had done a graphic novel! Is it illustrated in black-and-white or color?

Also seconding mamzel's recommendation of Britten and Brülightly.

Hi Mamzel and Eva, I have heard of Britten and Brulightly and I am patiently waiting for my library to get it in. Eva, A Sickness in the Family is illustrated entirely in black and white, which totally fits with this dark tale.

79. Trust Nobody by June Hampson - 3.8 ★
Category: Calendar Girl - June Monthly Challenge



Trust Nobody by June Hamson delves into the lives of the wives, girlfriends and prostitutes of the hard men, the street criminals, and scum of the underworld. Set in Portsmouth in the early 1960’s, the story revolves around Daisy Lane whose husband Kenny is serving two years in prison. She is trying to make ends meet by running a back street café, although she is not totally alone. Her brother-in-law, the vicious yet charming Eddy is there, and she has her live in friends, aging prostitute Vera and sixteen year old Suze, who ran away from her rapist step-father and now helps Daisy in the cafe.

While visiting her husband at the prison, she meets Moira, the attractive wife of a high end London criminal, an assistant to the Kray Twins, and they become friends. Moira, a drug addict, is a very needy person and constantly wants Daisy to come up to London and spend time with her. Being this close to the glamorous yet dangerous life she is shown in London has opened doors for Daisy, but at what price?

This book is the first in a trilogy that tells of Daisy’s struggles to escape her life of poverty, crime and violence. The author, June Hamson, knows of what she writes as she was born and raised in Gosport, a very poor area of Portsmouth, and her story of Daisy’s struggle to steer her own destiny is very much her own which accounts for the believability of the story. I personally enjoyed this gritty tale of the 1960’s and plan on continuing on with the trilogy.

I'll second the second of britten and brulightly

80. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - 4.5 ★
Catagory: Romeo & Juliet
12 in 12 Group Read



Much has been written of the brilliance of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, a definitive historical novel about the Tudors, and more particularly Thomas Cromwell and the role he played in setting aside a reigning queen and placing a new one on the throne. Of course, as history tells us, once this precedent has been set, there is no reason why it couldn’t happen again.

Mantel manages to breath life in these historical figures and her insightful, detailed research is obvious on each page. This is a novel that opens a new window on a period of time of which much has been previously written and presents this time in a fresh and interesting way. Her portrayal of Thomas Cromwell moves him from the shadows and shows him as a resourceful, intelligent man having to steer through political and personal upheavals that would defeat many. I would compare Thomas Cromwell to the synchronised swimmers of today, calm and placid on the surface while the lower body desperately paddles to stay afloat.

Following Cromwell’s as he advances from Cardinal Woolsey’s aide to the trusted advisor of King Henry, Wolf Hall is a fascinating read and I would recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction.

Glad you liked Wolf Hall. I agree completely with your comments, and I love your comparison of Cromwell to a synchronised swimmer.

Thanks, Paulina.

81. Life ♫♫ by Keith Richards - 5.0 ★
Category: True Colors



I grew up in the 1960’s, and a big part of my coming-of-age was the music of the day, in particular the British Invasion music of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. At my first boy-girl party I vividly remember dancing to This Will Be The Last Time by the Stones. I can’t think about those years without mentally playing a musical backdrop of rock and roll music.

When Life by Keith Richards came out, I knew that I would be reading this book eventually. Then I started hearing how great the audio to this book was and I decided to go that route. This was a book that I was going to enjoy no matter what. Revisiting my love affair with the Stones and hearing all the back stories of how that music came to be, as well as the day to day life of Keith Richards, a musical icon, was something I was looking forward to. Going the audio route was the best decision I could have made, suddenly this book became an intimate experience between me and Keith. I felt like I was in the same room with him and hearing these words come out of his mouth. The audio is read by Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley and Keith Richards. It is absolutely brilliant. Joe Hurley was an added bonus as he totally caught the essence and spirit of Keith Richards and elevated this book to an entirely new level.

Keith Richards has long been a great interview, he’s lived the life of a rock and roller and is quite willing to talk about it, both the good and the bad. As he tells the story of how the world’s greatest rock and roll band formed and evolved, his honest and blunt words cannot hide the deeply sensitive musician that cares first and foremost for the music. Although at times he sounded a little paranoid about the focus of the world’s establishment on him, I truly believe that was his honest, personal opinion of what went down.

Life is a great read about a musician who, although he didn’t always make the right choices in regards to drugs and hell-raising and perhaps, slants things a little to his way of thinking, makes no apologies and lets us be the judge in this rambling yet entertaining work.

*Love* the review. There is something timeless about that music and their stories.

#74 - Thanks, it really was one of the best memoirs about a rock star as he gave equal time to the music and how it was created to the "Sex & Drugs" parts.

82. The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner - 3.5 ★
Category: Young At Heart
Reading Through Time Challenge: French Revolution



The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner is a story that unfolds against the backdrop of the early days of the French Revolution. The story of two young people who meet on a fateful night, separate for a number of years, and then unite in a time of extreme danger.

Yann Margoza is a performer and he, along with his guardian the dwarf Tetu, and the magician Topolain are brought to the chateau of the Marquis de Villeduval to perform their magic act for his guests. Among the guests is the sinister Count Kalliovski. Like a puppet master, this evil count controls the strings of both people and events that unfold throughout the story. The Marquis has brought his daughter home from school at the request of the Count, although she is being kept practically a prisoner. The Marquis de Villeduval is a weak, greedy man who has mortgaged his estates to the hilt and borrowed money from the Count, he has no interest in his daughter, Sido, considering her flawed. Yann and Sido meet for the first time on this eventful night, and she helps him escape from the Count.

Although published in 2007, The Red Necklace has an old fashioned feel to it, as if it had been written for a previous generation. An adventure story laced with gypsy magic, a budding romance and a more than a few nasty secrets. The story builds to an exciting climax where Yann must save Sido from both the guillotine and the evil clutches of Count Kalliovski.

Nice review of The Red Necklace Judy. I have that one on my TBR bookcase...... sounds like a nice summer read to escape into for me.

Hi Lori, I think The Red Necklace would make a nice escape, it reminds me of some of the adventure stories I read when young. The bad guys are very evil, the heroine is in dire straights, a fairly quick read - nothing earth-shattering, but a fun romp.

More accolades for the Richards-book!! My library has the audiobook available for download, so I'm definitely getting in the queue for that one!

#73 - Great review of Life! It seems to be universally loved. I may listen to it as an audiobook at some point.

83. Fearless: A Novel of Sarah Bowman by Lucia St Clair Robson - 4.2 ★
Category: Home On The Range



Fearless: A Novel of Sarah Bowman tells the story of a woman unique for her times. She attaches herself to the US army when her husband joins. Together they embark on the campaign against the Seminole Indians in Florida. After Florida, the army is dispatched to Corpus Christi, Texas in anticipation of the war with Mexico. Unfortunately Sarah loses her husband, but has grown to love the army life. Travelling first as a laundress and then a cook to an officer’s mess she follows the army as they invade Mexico in 1845. Sarah was an extremely tall woman, very attractive and of a magnificent stature so she drew the eyes of men wherever she went. She was a great favorite with General Zachary Taylor and many of the officers, and was nicknamed ’The Great Western” after the largest steamship that was currently afloat. She also drew attention from the newspaper reporters who were attached to the military and many wrote dispatches about Sarah.

This book gives the reader a first hand look at what travelling and living with the army was like in the 1840’s and in particular the women who trailed behind their men. From laundry and cooking, to nursing, and providing comforts of the body, they lived in small tents and were often on their own and totally responsible for their children, their day to day living, and any travelling arrangements they had to make in order to follow their men. They were exposed to all the hardships, danger and deprivations that the soldiers endured.

I have long been a fan of Lucia St. Clair Robson’s books. She often writes about real people, and in taking the bare facts that are known, she weaves a wonderful story. Enriched with great descriptions and interesting characters, she brings these historical moments of time vividly to life. Sarah Bowman was certainly a larger than life character, whether she was tending to the wounded or actually joining in the fighting, and Lucia St Clair Robson is able to breath life into this character and plant her firmly in your memory.

Love your review of Life.

#79, 80 & 82 - I hope you all do give the audio version of Life a try, it's worth it just to have Johnny Depp whispering in your ear, having Keith Richards and Joe Hurley added to the mix is a bonus!

Fearless sounds interesting! Thanks for the review.

I hope you are able to track down a copy, Victoria, it's a great read.

84. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh - 5.0 ★
Category: Go Where You Wanna Go



With River of Smoke, Amitav Ghosh continues the story that he originally introduced in Sea of Poppies. When we left off the Ibis was battling a storm off the coast of Mauritius and some of the characters were adrift in a long boat. While not picking up exactly where he left off, we are first treated to a flash forward and from this we can see Deeti’s future as a revered matriarch. He then picks up the narrative and brings us up to date on the whereabouts of the characters. He zeros in on two of the characters from the first book, Neel and Paulina, as well as introducing some new, and colourful characters to help flesh out the story. We follow these people as they embark on further adventures that eventually lead to Canton. We arrive there in time to read of the various incidents that were to lead to the First Opium War in 1840.

Although the story may not have captivated me quite as much as Sea of Poppies, I think River of Smoke is, in many ways, the better book. What this book offers is a good story, peopled with engaging characters, but the payload for me was the history. The detailed descriptions of Canton in 1839, from the clothing, the food, the customs, the religion and, mostly, the political situation. I knew very little about this period of history particularly it’s financial importance both in Asia and the Western World. Ghosh manages to paint a vivid picture of power, money and greed and conveys his facts without losing the readers’ interest.

The use of Robin’s letters to Paulina at the start of many of the later chapters was simply brilliant. Written in a humorous, chatty tone, he was able to bring together the various threads of the story, the opium trade, the search for the elusive golden camellia, as well as the political manoeuvrings. In contrast we have the darker story of Bahram Modi who had so much to gain or lose in this conflict.

Overall, River of Smoke was a rich, satisfying read, managing to be both exotic and informative.

85. Hollowland†† by Amanda Hocking - 2.0 ★
Category: Monster Mash



I would like to say that Hollowland was a quick, fun, zombie read, except it wasn’t much fun at all. I admit I have a fondness for zombie stories but this one seemed to lack something. It was dark, which is usually fine for me, it had the gore and violence that one expects from zombie books, but something was definitely missing. I think that something was heart. I never grew to like the main characters and it was obvious to me that most of secondary characters were introduced simply to be zombie fodder. The author tried too hard and in the end I simply just didn’t care.

The writing served the purpose of telling a story, but was unexceptional in all other ways. The characters had no development and there is no internal dialogue to speak of, and not much emotion is portrayed. I never thought I would call a zombie book dull, but dull it was. There was a distinct lack of originality, hence we have a cult leader called Korech (ring any bells?), and murderous hoods that call themselves Mauraders as in the game of Fallout. Oh, and did I mention outlandish plot devices, let’s see, where to begin, how about finding a tame lion to travel with you and provide handy protection just when you need it.

Hollowland is the first book in a planned series, but this will be one zombie series that I won’t be planning on following. There are simply too many other ones out there, written by the likes of Jonathan Maberry and Charlie Higson, that are far better reads.

At least no Nazi Zombies - those are becoming a cliche, but it sounds like you needed a few munchkins in Hollowland.

Well, maybe Nazi Zombies would have improved it!

Today is my fourth anniversary on Library Thing. To celebrate I have purchased five books - one for each year and an extra book for growth. Speaking of growth, my craving for reading, my wishlist, and my book shelves have all grown by leaps and bounds over these last four years.

Thingaversary Books:

Citrus County by John Brandon
Island Madness by Tim Binding
Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar
Curse of the Wolf Girl by Martin Millar
Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride

Happy Thingaversary!

Happy Thingaversary! I haven't read any of those, so I look forward to your reviews. I finally decided on my Thingaversary present and pre-ordered Criminal by Karin Slaughter.

oh haha!! A Thingaversary gift! My five-year will be here soon... what a great idea! Looking forward to picking out an appropriate set of books.

Happy Thingaversary! I love the idea of celebrating with a book per year! Although we'll be in trouble during our 50 in 2050 challenge year.

Happy Thingaversary! So far I've managed to forget both my Thingaversaries, I think I've got some making up to do next year :-) Nice book haul - I haven't heard of any of them, be interesting to read your reviews.

Happy Thingaversary from me as well! And congratulations on coming up with the perfect way to celebrate - must put in the calendar for my next thingaversary.

Hey, any excuse to buy books is a good excuse! Thank you everyone for the good wishes.

Happy Thingaversary Judy! Mine is coming up soon, I like the idea of a book for each year.

Hi Lisa, don't forget the extra book to grow on!

Happy Thingaversary! Great way to celebrate. Maybe I should do the same. :)

Glad to see your positive review of River of Smoke. I absolutely loved Sea of Poppies and am looking forward to this, so I'm happy to hear it wasn't a disappointment for you.

Happy Thingaversary

#100 - Hi Paulina, I like the storyline of Sea of Poppies a little more than River of Smoke, but ROS has great historical details, broadens the story a little and has set the stage for the third volume. Now the wait begins.

#101 - Thanks Pete, what a great day it was when I stumbled on this site!

86. Revolution†† by Jennifer Donnelly - 3.7 ★
Category: Heard It Thru the Grapevine - recommended by SusieSharp (Susie) and Bell7 (Mary) - among many others
Reading Thru Time Monthly Theme: French Revolution
TIOLI #14: Read A One Word Titled Book by a Female Author



Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly is both an unusual and original YA story. Dealing with issues of grief, guilt and despair, this wasn’t an easy book to read. We follow parallel story lines one set in modern times, and, through diary entries, a story of a young girl’s experience during the French Revolution.

Andi Alpers lost her younger brother a year ago and neither she nor her family are dealing well with their grief. Andi is angry, bitter, guilt-ridden and living in a drug hazed world, for her, suicide is becoming more and more appealing. Her mother has stepped out of her life and simply paints portrait after portrait of her dead son, and the father, also guilt ridden has retreated into his job and new wife. He is contacted by the school and arrives to also find her mother requires immediate hospitalization. He takes Andi to Paris with him and she is told that while there she must work on her senior year thesis which she needs to complete in order to graduate.

Things start to change for Andi in Paris. She stumbles upon the diary of Alexandrine, a young girl who became a companion to Prince Louis-Charles. Reading of Alexandrine’s suffering and anguish over the fate of the young prince, Andi feels a strong connection. This connection seems to be reaching out over the centuries to guide Andi to deal with her own issues and help her find inner peace.

Thoroughly researched, Revolution paints a very accurate picture of Paris in the time of the Reign of Terror launched by Robespierre. There’s a lot going on in this book, and although I started out rather disliking the main character, both her sensitivity and vulnerability grew on me. Overall I found this to be a very interesting, insightful read.

Good review of Revolution Judy. I agree.... after a while I found it rather difficult to relate to the main character. Other than that it was an overall interesting read.

Thanks Lori, I think the author got it right with Andi, it's just that I can only take so much teen angst! I remember when my two girls were in their teens and we had so much drama! Of course, Andi had a very good reason for her grief, it's just the way teens lash out at everyone else and put themselves at the centre of every issue that can drive me a little crazy.

Wow, I can't believe the year is half over. I am still happy with my categories and have been enjoying my reading this year. I have been concentrating on trying to keep my reading balanced by categories,and, to give myself a pat on the back, I'm doing a pretty good job at that.

2ND QUARTER 2012 RECAP

Total Books Read for Challenge YTD = 86

Category Information:

1. Do You Believe In Magic

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
- Average Rating for Category - 4.07
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 1:5

2. Monster Mash

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
- Average Rating for Category - 3.73
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 3:3

3. Just Like Romeo & Juliet

- Books Read - 7
- Favorite Read - Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
- Average Rating for Category - 4.34
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 3:4

4. Home, Home On The Range

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - The Holy Road by Michael Blake
- Average Rating for Category: 3.95
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 4:2

5. Thriller Night

- Books Read - 8
- Favorite Read - The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
- Average Rating for Category - 3.71
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 3:5

6. I Will Follow Him

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - Dead Man's Footsteps by Peter James
- Average Rating for Category - 3.81
- Authors Ratio Male:Female 3:3

7. Heard It Thru the Grapevine

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
- Average Rating for Category - 4.42
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 3:3

8. True Colors

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - Life by Keith Richards
- Average Rating for Category: 4.25
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 6:0

9. Every Picture Tells A Story

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - Blankets by Craig Thompson
- Average Rating for Category - 3.98
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 5:1

10. Soldier Boy

- Books Read - 6
- Favorite Read - The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck
- Average Rating for Category - 4.10
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 3:3

11. Young At Heart

- Books Read - 7
- Favorite Book - Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Average Rating for Category - 3.93
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 0:6

12. Go Where You Wanna Go

- Books Read - 8
- Favorite Read - River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
- Average Rating for Category - 4.06
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 5:3

13. Calendar Girl Bonus Monthly Category

- Books Read - 8
- Favorite Read - March by Geraldine Brooks
- Average Rating for Category - 3.75
- Authors Ratio Male:Female - 2:6

Wow! Happy belated Thingaversary, congrats on your reading stats, and thanks for the BB of Revolution! Sounds like it'll be a semi-fun read, I always enjoy anything that involves time twist/travel/comparisons. :) Hope you have a great weekend!

Thanks Laura. and a good wishes for a great weekend to you too!

Great stats, Judy. and some helpful reviews. Belated Thingaversary greetings!

87. The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan - 4.0 ★
Category: Monster Mash



I found The Strain a fun, page-turning vampire thriller. It was appropriately creepy and gave me a few chills along the way. Is it over the top, well yes, but in an entertaining “Vampires are taking over New York City” kind of way. This is a book that grabs your attention right away and delivers a pretty good story of good versus evil.

Of course these are far from the popular vampires of today’s romance fiction, the strain are evil, nasty, terrifying creatures that need to be put down in as many bloodthirsty ways as possible. I thought it was obvious that at least one of these authors is used to working in visual entertainment as the gore descriptions were detailed and vivid.

The authors put a new spin on the old staple and delivered a story that was fresh and different yet still incorporated many of the traditional aspects. Do I recommend this book. Yes, to lovers of horror stories. Will I continue on with this series? Well, I won’t rush to the next book, but when I am ready for a good vampire tale, I can certainly see picking up the next one.

The Strain has been on my WL for awhile. I love del Torro's movies, especially The Devil's Backbone and The Orphanage. Pan's Labyrinth is a little too dark for me... not that the others aren't dark. What I love about his movies is that the real horror element isn't the supernatural. It is what is happening in the *real* world.

I've often thought of picking up The Strain but something has always held me back. Looks like I should grab it next time though.

#86 - Great review of River of Smoke! I'll have to get to those two novels at some point.

And Happy Thingaversary! I completely forgot about mine - I think it was a few months ago.

I enjoyed The Strain but the sequel, The Fall, lost something in my opinion. I'll be interested to see what you think of it.

# 111,112 & 114 - I particularly liked the whole "vampire" explaination that The Strain provided, keeping it in the realm of almost believeable. I certainly didn't mind the scenes of violence and gore, after all what else do you expect from a vampire book. For some reason the ending was the one thing that I found a little off putting. I don't want to give any details to the story, but the whole super powerful master was a just a little too much. But this was the best vampire book I have read in ages.

#115 - Thanks. If it wasn't for the tradition of book buying to mark your Thingaversay, I'm sure I would forget mine, too. This gives me something to look forward to, just thing next year I can give myself the gift of 6 books!

88. Box Nine by Jack O'Connell - 4.3 ★
Category: Heard It Thru the Grapevine - Recommended by Wolfy (Dave)



With Box Nine, author Jack O’Connell presents his colourful and highly original version of a noir thriller. Set in the fictional north-eastern American city of Quinsigamond. Once a thriving metropolis, now a dark, gritty place of hard times and even harder people. Violence and corruption seems to be the rule of the day.

The main character, Detective Lenore Thomas, is one of the most remarkable and interesting characters I’ve met in a book in a long time. To quote the back cover, “she’s addicted to speed, rough sex, heavy metal and her gun’. Lenore knows the streets and back alleys of Quinsigamond and works as a undercover narcotic officer. The city is on the verge of an all out drug war, and to make things even more volatile a new manufactured drug has appeared on the scene. This drug with the street name of Lingo offers an unusually potent high, along with heightened linguistic abilities, but with a downside of extreme violence and babbling insanity.

What sets this book apart from a straight forward noir thriller, are the many cultural references and the psychological and philosophical diatribes that many of the characters get involved in. Box Nine is not a book for everyone, with it’s crudeness and violence, but will be a book that stays with me and gives me much to ponder upon. I think Jack O’Connell is an amazing author, and I look forward to exploring more of his work in the future.

>116 DeltaQueen50: Sounds interesting. Is the setting present day, or sometime in the future?

It's good to see a recommendation pay off. Can't believe the author isn't more well known but I suppose his work does sit firmly in a niche market.

Anders, It's definitely future, hence the Science Fiction tag it sometimes gets, but not too distant.

Hi Anders and Dave, I was wondering about that Science Fiction label. I would have just said that it's set in the present, but a dark and edgy present. The book was originally published in 1992, and I think the future he was writing about has arrived.

I also think anyone who enjoys noir thrillers would get a kick out of Box Nine.

Box Nine does sound interesting. It does sound like a post-industrial town which definitely has arrived.

Certainly true for Dalsland, the part of Sweden where I grew up:

Making a note of box nine

89. The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter van Tilburg Clark - 4.5 ★
Category: Home on the Range



The Ox-bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark is a classic story that happens to be set in the American West. This is no “Cowboy” story with the good hero winning over the evil villain. This is much more of a study of mob mentality, the loss of individuality, and how a love of violence can overcome one’s sense of judgement and morality.

The story is simple and direct, two cowpokes come riding into town after a winter on the range. They are simply looking for a good time and a way to unwind after the long winter with just each other for company. Unfortunately the town of Bridger Wells, Nevada doesn’t have a lot to offer. Drinking, card playing and sleeping seem to be the main events. Even the companionship of a woman is denied as the last single woman was recently encouraged to leave by the good wives of the community. Local talk is of a rash of cattle rustling that has been going on over the winter months. Suddenly a rider comes galloping into town with the news that a local cowboy has been shot and killed.

As people gather, the mood changes to one of anger and bewilderment, and, eager for revenge they are easily whipped into a frenzy. The decision is made to strike out and deliver their version of justice to the killers. Our two cowboys, being new to the town felt they were getting more than their share of sideways glances when talk of cattle rustling came up so they decided it was in their best interest to join in with the mob.

Written in a tight, taunt fashion, the author delivers his story in a simple direct, somewhat allegorical manner. Each character represents a separate view of moral justice and how far they are willing to go, from sadistic eagerness to extreme reluctance. A simple story, but one that touches on many importance subjects including injustice and racism. The Ox-Bow Incident is a book will stay with me and certainly deserves it’s Classic label. Highly recommended.

The Ox-Bow Incident sounds like a good one. The name is really familiar, but I've never actually heard anything about it.

Also a classic movie with Henry Fonda. That might be why it sounds familiar.

I've already checked with my brother who is really into old movies and told him to have The Ox-Bow Incident lined up when I come to visit later this month. I'm pretty sure I have seen it before, but don't really have a clear memory of it.

90. Mr. Monster by Dan Wells - 3.7 ★
Category: For The Young At Heart



Mr. Monster by Dan Wells is the second book in his John Cleaver trilogy. This review will contain “SPOILERS” if you haven’t read the first book.

Mr, Monster continues the story of John Wayne Cleaver in his quest to appear normal on the outside, even though he is a developing sociopath. He has a set of rules that he tries to live by and is always aware of the monster that dwells within. It is only a couple of months since he unmasked the serial killer that was preying on his town and revealed the demon. He killed the demon but has kept that fact hidden. The town is slowing coming back to normality, believing the serial killer has died or moved on.

While John is wrestling with his darker urges and trying to control himself, new bodies begin to show up in town. These bodies are killed in a very different way than previously so it appears a new serial killer is at work. John also feels this is a direct challenge to him and that the serial killer is trying to draw him out. Could this be the demon, returned in a fresh body, or is this the work of someone new? John determines to find out.

I have very mixed feelings about this story, parts of it are very well done. The author’s use of subdued humor in John’s struggle to be normal is outstanding. The concept of a budding sociopath trying to blend in is fascinating. Unfortunately, the author also tends to go overboard on the “gross-out” aspects giving me a few too many yucky moments. Also, I have never felt totally at peace with the supernatural aspect of the story, feeling this is a bit of a cop out on the author‘s part.. I will eventually read the final book in the trilogy as overall these stories are very clever and intriguing, and I can’t help but picture a young Dexter and wondering where John’s urges will take him.

I love the Dexter series and this sounds like another good one! Thanks for your comments.

That does sound like a gory version of Dexter. I don't mind gore, but the one Dexter-book I didn't like was the one with the supernatural part, so I'll put this series on the back-burner. Thumb for the review!

>123 DeltaQueen50: Sounds very good, must look that up. Never heard of it. Excellent review!

I have enjoyed the reading of this trilogy by Dan Wells, and I look forward to the third book but I was thrown off a little by the first book, not expecting the twist the author takes. It is well written and absorbing with the right amount of humor to offset the violence.If you're in the mood for something different these books may fit the bill.

#130 - The Ox-Bow Incident is well worth searching out, Anders. It's a small gem, painting a picture of a tiny piece of the American west when men still lived with a gun strapped to their hips. There is also an excellent movie made in 1943 that is worth viewing.

91. Sixpence House by Paul Collins - 2.8 ★
Category: True Colors



Sixpence House by Paul Collins is a rambling reflection on his life, books and the time the family spent in the fascinating town of books, Hay-on-Wye. I was looking forward to this book hoping for a nice comfortable story of how he and his family set off from America and found their true home in this small Welsh town. Unfortunately I had my expectations raised a little high as this was not the book I read. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate this book, there were some interesting tidbits, but they are scattered and you must wade through a lot of useless, trivial detail to get to them.

At times he rants against all things American and perhaps with a view to equal time, he then turns and rants against all things British. This pointing of fingers at these two countries to me felt very mean-spirited. He writes of his love of this particular town, but I never felt that love in these pages.

Overall, I found Sixpence House to be a little too disjointed and cerebral for me. I would love to visit Hay-on-Wye as I am sure it is a delightful place, especially for book lovers but I certainly don’t feel like I was able to get a clear picture from this book.

You're echoing what I've been hearing about Sixpence House - it's one of those I really, really want to enjoy, so it's a good thing I get to adjust my expectations. :)

Hay-on-Wye is definitely worth a visit for any book lover, unless of course you don't want to add many many books to your collection!

Sixpence House was a little dry. I think the last sentence in your first paragraph summarizes it very well for me. I think all of us would love to visit Hay-on-Wye. Maybe I'll make it there one day.

Sixpence House was an okay read for me but I think it had something to do with the fact that I was expecting a more-fiction style plot - not that it doesn't have some interesting elements! - which I really shouldn't have considering it is a non-fiction memoir.

# 133 - Eva, I think having such high expectations was partly to blame for my disappointment with this book. It's hard not to get excited about a book about books, expecially with the setting of Hay-on-Wye.

#134 - The closest thing we have to Hay-on-Wye here in British Columbia is Sydney on Vancouver Island. It is a very small town and has quite a number of bookstores. Even on such a small scale, I can't visit this town without blowing my book budget!

#135 - I doubt I'll ever get to Hay-on-Wye, but it's lovely to know such a town exists. I guess it would be a Mecca to all book lovers!

#136 - Hi Lori, do you get drawn out to Sydney very often? I think that was my other problem with this book, I expected more of a story about a family moving to this bookish town rather than the author's more random approach.

Yup, you cannot visit Sidney on Vancouver Island without stopping in at least one shop that sells books! In the summer, Sidney is a fun day trip which always a nice lunch, shopping and of course, a walk along the harbour! Occasionally we have been lucky and have also come home with a pail of live shrimp from a fishing boat just in.

Darn it Judy.... now I have a craving for fresh shellfish! ;-)

Mmmm ... me too!

92. The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 4.3 ★
Category: Romeo & Juliet
Reading Through Time Challenge: Arthurian Legend



The first book in a trilogy based on the Arthurian legend, The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland is set in 1199, as King John has just seized the throne upon news of his brother’s death. This is a wonderful, multi-layered story that is both complex and satisfying. The main character, Arthur is a second son growing up at the family holding of Caldicot. He dreams of becoming a squire and eventual knight, but fears that as a second son, he may be given over to the church.

A rather mysterious friend of his father, Merlin, has become Arthur’s guide and mentor. On Arthur’s thirteenth birthday he presents him with a seeing stone that gives Arthur glimpses of the life of another Arthur, this one destined to become a king. As the book progresses, many parallels are drawn between the life of Arthur-in-the-stone and Arthur of Caldicot Manor. Both these Arthurs have their own separate destinies and as the book draws to a close we learn of the future king drawing the sword from the stone while Arthur of Caldicot is about to embark upon his own quest.

I was both entertained and engaged by this book. It’s a thoroughly researched coming of age story with a thoughtful, well defined main character who is both observant and creative. The story is laid out in many short chapters that paint a rich and vivid picture of the day to day life of a small medieval manor, along with all the different people that lived there. Although aimed at a younger audience, I found the whole concept of The Seeing Stone to be magical and I will certainly be continuing on with this trilogy.

93. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier - 3.9 ★
Category: Calendar Girl - July Monthly Challenge



I admit I picked up Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier on a random whim and, having no expectations may be why I enjoyed this book so much. This story deals with time travelling, something that always seems to confuse me and make me uneasy at the same time. So many questions, so many procedures, how to keep it all straight in one’s head. In this book I found a main character who has much the same issues with time travel as I do.

Other than her ability to see and talk to ghosts, Gwen Shepherd is a normal sixteen year old that loves to giggle with her best friend, skip classes and can’t see the purpose of history or geography. Unfortunately, Gwen comes from anything but a normal family. The ability to time travel is gifted to a female in each generation. Luckily for Gwen, her cousin Charlotte appears to be the one born with the time travelling gene. Of course all goes amiss and it is Gwen who finds herself hurtling through the eras. The only bonus to this dilemma is her assigned travelling companion, a dreamy 18 year old guy.

I thought the author did a great job in keeping Gwen real. Being totally unprepared for time travel, she has trouble with the period clothes, speech patterns, and old fashioned manners. She thinks and acts like a present day sixteen year old. When told that her time travels must be kept secret, she of course, doesn’t think for a minute that doesn’t include her best friend, Lesley. Told not to take any present day equipment back to the past, again, as a typical teenager, she can’t even think about giving up her cell phone.

My only drawback to the book is the ending. This is a trilogy, but I would have liked to have some resolution at the end of each book. This one just leaves all the storylines hanging. Due to it’s charm, humor and great main character, I will be continuing on with this series, hopefully book two will have some answers to the many questions that this first book has brought to light.

94. Emma, Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori - 3.6 ★
Category: Every Picture Tells A Story



Emma, Volume 1 by Kaoru Mori was my first manga and I wasn’t sure this format would work for me. I surprised myself halfway through when I realized I was quite comfortable reading the book back to front, and each page from right to left.

Emma is a classic story of the upstairs/downstairs genre. Set in England during the late 19th century, Emma is a lovely young woman who happens to work as a housemaid. She attracts a number of admirers, but she appears to be turning in the direction of William, the scion of a rich family that her employer had worked as a governess for . Of course in this period, class distinction plays a very important role and I can see there will be rocky road for these two along the way.

I love the setting of this story but the language is not authentic to the period, which is only a small quibble as I am sure the target audience for these books prefers today’s language style. The drawings are charming and easily pull the reader into the story. Emma and William I found to be a little bland, but the story is peopled with some interesting secondary characters like Emma‘s employer and William’s Indian friend, Hakim. I know there are a number of books in this series, so I hope both Emma and William develop as the books continue. Although it won’t be a priority, I expect to continue on with this series.

Ack! Your latest three reads (all excellent reviews too) are a direct BB hit! I just received a big box of books from bookcloseouts.com, and when I unpacked it I realized how many titles were YA - was not aware of that when happily adding titles to my cart! Will add these three to my TBR list for sure. Hope you're enjoying your Saturday!

Hi Judy, you almost had me with Ruby Red until I made it completely through your review, but I am still hooked enough to keep it in mind for a time travel read when I am in the mood for one.

#143, Hi Laura, I have noticed that my wishlist is filling up with YA's as well.Such a great variety are available, I think it's also very positive that it appears to be a growing market - young people reading bodes well for the future, IMO.

#144 - Another reason for holding off on Ruby Red for awhile, Lori, is that the next book, Sapphire Blue, isn't even out until this October. If I had known that I may have held off reading it myself as I hate to be in the position of having to wait for the next book to be published.

Nice review of The Seeing Stone. My daughter (who loves everything Arthurian) had read the trilogy and had recommended it to me. It sounds like I definitely need to read it!

Hi Paulina, I enjoyed The Seeing Stone a lot. It's a little different as it's not only about the original King Arthur of the Round Table, but the medieval setting and the details the author provides are very well done. The story of Arthur de Caldicot is interesting and one that I look forward to following. It had the feel of a book that I would have read as a child though it was only published a few years ago.

95. Playing With Bones by Kate Ellis - 4.3 ★
Category: I Will Follow Him



Playing With Bones is the second Joe Plantagenet book and author Kate Ellis has delivered another intriguing page-turner. Singmass Close is a small enclosed street that has a history of violence. From rumors of murdered children from the now deserted orphanage, to a series of bizarre crimes in the 1950’s. Now, police have been called there as a young woman has been strangled and mutilated in the same manner as the earlier crimes.

If this isn’t enough to have on their plates, a convicted child killer has escaped and a couple of local girls, apparent runaways with modeling aspirations have also disappeared. DI Joe Plantagenet, his supervisor, DCI Emily Thwaite and the rest of their team are working around the clock to solve all these cases. As another body, killed in the same manner turns up, they realize that they are dealing with a serial killer. As connections and coincidences are slowly revealed, we come to realize that all these cases have a loose connection, and that time is of the essence as the killer is fully prepared to strike again.

Kate Ellis has a wonderful knack of weaving both past and present together to create a atmospheric, slightly creepy read. She makes excellent use of the setting which is the thinly disguised historic town of York, and includes a slight hint of the supernatural to intensify the story. Playing With Bones is a compelling thriller and another good reason to pick up the Joe Plantagenet series.

I started the Emma-series and got half-way through - thanks for the reminder to pick it up again! Putting the Kate Ellis series on the wishlist.

I have so many series going that I have a hard time remembering them all too, Eva. It's so easy for a couple to slip through the cracks.

96. The Black Angel by Cornel Woolrich - 4.0 ★
Category: Thriller Night



The Black Angel by Cornell Woolrich was a most satisfying read. A true noir, the story of a despairing woman driven to save her husband from execution after being found guilty of murder, she plunges into her quest of tracking the murdered woman’s acquaintances down by following the listings in her address book.

With complete disregard for her own safety, she delves into the life of each of her suspects, finding herself involved with the downtrodden, the seedy, the desperate and the dangerous as she tracks these people through the dark side of New York City of the early 1940’s. The book delivers a number of plot twists along the way to keep both the main character and the reader on their toes.

This book was made into an excellent 1946 film noir, and although similar, they followed separate plot lines which make them both highly interesting and recommended. The Black Angel captures the moodiness and atmosphere of the dark side of an American city, but I did struggle with a plot hole that was hard to overlook. This is a book that I would recommend for fans of noir with an interest in the roots of this genre.

Hi Judy: I'm glad that you enjoyed The Black Angel. Cornell Woolrich books are difficult to obtain, I keep hoping that I will run across more of them at some point.

I did not know that this book was made into a movie, I couldn't remember who was in it, so I looked it up and saw that Dan Duryea played Martin. I enjoyed him tremendously in The Little Foxes and Winchester 73. I'll have to see if I can track this movie down.

Oh - The Little Foxes was an excellent play, and the movie was well done. Interesting review on The Black Angel but that plot hole comment scares me!!! Early noir had a few of those sometimes.

#152 - Hi Lisa, I wish Cornell Woolrich books were more readily available, I have one more of his on my shelves, Fright which I am looking forward to. The movie, The Black Angel is very good, and Dan Duryea is an actor whose performance I always enjoy.

#153 - Both my brother and I read The Black Angel and he didn't notice the plot hole, so this could be just a case of me nit-picking. I have a bad habit of always picking holes in the mysteries that I read!

97. Berst Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie - 4.5 ★
Category: Do You Believe In Magic



Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie is a book first and foremost about revenge. The story of Monza Murcatto who goes from being the trusted general of Duke Orso to a ruthless killer whose main target is the man she once served so loyally.

Starting off with a riveting opening chapter, we follow Monza and the companions that she gathers on her quest for revenge. These are not likeable people by any means, to quote the opening blurb, “a pair of poisoners, a serial killer, a treacherous drunk, a red-handed warrior, and a blood soaked mercenary captain. And those are the good guys …” This book overflows with action, both vivid and brutal, torture, betrayals and plot twists which moves the story at a breakneck speed, although I did find the story slowed somewhat in the middle of the book. The author does not shrink from vulgarity, his characters spit, piss, bleed and f---. So be forewarned, this is not a book for the faint hearted.

Best Served Cold is an original, inventive use of the fantasy genre. The author’s unique mixing of dark humor, bloody combat, and complex, gritty characters delivers a rip-roaring adventure story that engulfs the reader. Please note however, that this book is extremely violent and graphic.

>155 DeltaQueen50: I've seen Ambercrombie's books in stores of course, but have never picked them up. High fantasy is usually not my thing, but this sounds interesting. Good review, thanks!

Glad you enjoyed the follow up to the First Law series. I think it was my favourite so far though I really should get around to picking up The Heroes sometime soon.

having read Abercrombie's first trilogy starting with the blade itself I have not been inspired to pick up any more as that trilogy definitely followed the law of diminishing returns...

My husband has gone nuts for Abercrombie's books but I have not yet been lured in. Since you enjoyed it I will have to reconsider...

I have The Blade Itself on the wishlist - looking forward to seeing if it's my cup of tea.

Add me to the interested parties enticed by the Abercrombie books and your review. Historical fiction with revenge as the theme are just too difficult to resist!

Yeah, I was thinking of reading The Blade Itself for Hot Author August...

ETA: Ooops, this is your 12 in 12 thread! Hot Author August is 75ers. Too many threads!

Hi everybody. I'm a little slow in responding as I am away from home right now visiting my Mom and have limited access to a computer. Since I loved Best Served Cold, The Lies of Locke Lamora and anything by Guy G. Kay, I guess I can say that epic historical based fantasy is a favorite. I should get started on George R Martin's series as I am sure it will be right up my alley. I also definitely plan on reading Joe Abercrombie's trilogy at some point.

I plan on being here for at least another week, but will try to check in when I can - of course I am still trying to read up a storm, my family thinks I am a little strange since I always wander around with a book (or kindle) in hand.

My in-laws would think you strange if you DIDN'T wonder around with a book in hand. Enjoy your time there!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

my family thinks I am a little strange since I always wander around with a book (or kindle) in hand.

Sounds like my visits home, but in a good way, don't mistake me! I love the times when I go home to visit but I have some trouble adapting back to a family that is more audio than I am. They usually have the radio/TV going for large periods of time - as background noise mostly - and they look at me sideways when I try to find a quiet corner to curl up with a book for just a hour or two. ;-)

Enjoy your visit Judy!

See this is why I love LT so much - the people here get me!

98. The Lotus Eaters†† by Tatjana Soli - 4.2 ★
Category: Soldier Boy



The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli tells the story of Helen, a young American woman who arrives in Viet Nam in 1965 totally innocent as to the effects this country will have on her, but by 1975, after 10 years of working as a photojournalist, the war, the soldiers, the people and the country have changed her forever.

This is both a story of war and of love, both evolving and changing throughout the book. The author captures the essence of this time period effectively and paints many vivid and graphic pictures of this war that headlined throughout the sixties and early seventies. I was carried away and totally lost myself in the characters and descriptions of this exotic country.

Being the author’s first book there were a few things that I could quibble about. The main character felt a little remote and the relationships seemed to hold very little passion. I think the book would have been more powerful with a different ending but overall The Lotus Eaters was both gripping and interesting and there was no doubt over the author’s love for this country.

>166 DeltaQueen50: Just got home from visiting my inlaws for five days. Very cozy there, but waaay to heavy on the sitting down and chatting side for me. And these days getting huge chunks of reading done in bed is just not an option unfortunately. I fall asleep, even if I try to fight it tooth and nail. So I walk around with a book too, but it tends to be more wishful thinking than anything else, alas.

One night though, me and Flea left the kids with mormor and morfar and eloped to a lovely floating hotel on a small island close to where they live. We had a wonderful dinner, good conversation, some snuggle time and ended the day with sitting on the roof terrace reading while the sun set in the ocean. Lovely, I tell you. With all our parents living far away, we get way too few nights just the two of us.

I need to think about adding The Lotus Eaters to my TBR list.

#168 - Hi Anders, yes, I seem to spend more time carrying my books around than reading them. I am heading home tomorrow and looking forward to the 1 1/2 hour ferry ride!

Your mini-break sounds heavenly.

#169 - Hi Lori, overall I really enjoyed The Lotus Eaters, and it was interesting to look at this war from a different perspective than the soldier's for a change.

99. The Cotton Queen by Pamela Morsi - 3.8 ★
Category: Go Where You Wanna Go



The Cotton Queen by Pamela Morsi follows the story of two generations of women, a mother and a daughter with the viewpoint shifting back and forth between each chapter. Dealing with issues of trust, understanding, misconceptions, and emotional availability, we follow events in their lives and watch as these two women grown farther and farther apart. Eventually, they realize that they are actually very much alike and that there are times when only family can help.

I thought the author did a good job of showcasing both mother and daughter and presenting the issues that each one faced. It was gratifying to see the personal growth they made, especially the mother, Babs. I also though the ending was fair and realistic, with an understanding reached, but true closeness still needing a great deal of work if ever to be achieved.

I don’t read a lot of books that deal primarily with “women’s issues”, but I enjoyed this book finding it neither too heavy nor too light. The setting of a small town just north of Dallas, Texas was interesting and overall, I found The Cotton Queen to be a pleasant reading experience.

100. 22 Accessible Road Trips by Candy Harrington - 4.0 ★
Category: True Colors



While neither my husband or I require the use of a wheel chair or slow walker, we are of an age where knee, hip and back issues can cause travel problems so 22 Accessible Road Trips was very helpful in terms of learning of places easily accessed with short, fairly level trails for walking. As a guide for the disabled I would highly recommend this book. The author, Cindy Harrington delivers her information in an enthusiastic, concise, easily read format, providing both pictures and simple maps that help in travel planning. I understand that she travels, researches and measures to be sure to deliver accurate and up-to-date information. She also continually updates the book’s website, so you are ensured of receiving current information.

Her twenty-two road trips cover many areas of the United States and she provides information on how to get there, what to do, and where the washrooms are, this is accompanied by recommendations for accessible hotels and restaurants. She also provides information on side-trips and how to lengthen or shorten each trip.

While this book doesn’t totally stand alone as a travel planner, you will still need a more detailed map to work out mileage and distance travelled, I do believe this book will assist those planning a driving vacation, and become a valuable resource for those who thought this type of trip was beyond their ability. I have already made a place on my permanent shelves for 22 Accessible Road Trips and I am sure I will be consulting this guide often.

That sounds like a useful travel book. Maybe my local library will get it so I can check it out for myself before purchasing it.

101. King of the Streets by John Baker - 4.3 ★
Category: I Will Follow Him



John Baker’s series featuring British PI Sam Turner is one of my favourites and King of the Streets didn’t let me down. This is the third entry that continues on with the story of Sam Turner, a recovering alcoholic and the motley crew that work with him. This time we find them tackling a couple of murder cases, that they slowly come to realize are connected.

What I love most about these books are the characters. There’s world-weary Sam constantly having to battle his demons, loveable Geordie who was a homeless youth that Sam took under his wing, the over-educated yet street smart Celia who acts as receptionist and mother figure and of course Barney, the dog. These characters are filled with heart, wit and a strong sense of caring for each other.

Of course, the plot itself is important and in this case our crew find their investigations lead to the tough, gritty side of town and introduces them to a world of fear and pain. While not shirking from picturing the violence and sleaze, the author writes in a dark and humorous way that moves the story along at a brisk pace. King of the Streets is another winner.

OK, how have I missed that series?!?!? Poet in the Gutter has now been ordered. :)

I'll be looking forward to hearing what you think of this series, Eva.

Poet in the Gutter is such a great title - makes me curious.

Picked up Poet in the Gutter after your review. Just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. It's good to see you enjoying the continuation of the series.

Hi Katie and Dave, I am enjoying this series, and the title of the first book, Poet In the Gutter, had a lot to do with me originally picking this book up.

I have been trying to shake off a summer cold for the last few days and I have been miserable. The worst thing is that I couldn't seem to concentrate on much reading. I think I have made the turn and am on my way to recovery, I actually sat and read for over an hour today!

Sorry to learn you have been battling a summer cold Judy. Here is hoping the recovery is speedy!

I hope you're free of your cold soon Judy.

Thanks Lori and Alana, I am feeling much better today. A couple of hours outside soaking up the sunshine should help to knock this one right out of my system!

102. Tall Poppies by Louise Bagshawe - 3.1 ★
Cagegory: Calendar Girl - August Monthly Challenge



Every once and awhile I am in the mood for a light, frothy read and Tall Poppies by Louise Bagshawe fit the bill nicely this week. Louise Bagshawe seems to specialize in revenge stories and here she delivers in spades a story about two girls, one a dark beauty from a poor background, the other, a gorgeous blonde and a member of the British aristocracy. These two start out with a strong dislike for each other, but over the course of the book they realize that they are fighting against the same enemy and work better together.

Set in the early eighties, the story revolves around business and women getting ahead. There’s plenty of romance, lots of sex, and it’s stuffed with reminders, both good and bad, of the early eighties. Living the rich, fashionable lifestyle always seems to play an important role in this type of book, and the plot has the characters jet setting between New York, London and the Swiss Alps.

I found Tall Poppies to be a fun read about beautiful people living a fantasy life as these two competitors come together to score points on a over-the-top scoundrel. This story was pure escapism and exactly what I was looking for.

Hope you feel better soon! It is a delicate balance isn't it, the one between just sick enough to legitimately stay in bed and read all day and the one where you're just too sick to concentrate! :) Poet in the Gutter arrived today - looking forward to getting to it!

Hi Eva, you are so right about getting the perfect balance! Now that I am feeling well enough to get back to reading, I need to catch up on chores that I couldn't do before!

103. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - 4.0 ★
Category: Do You Believe in Magic?



The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is an adventure fantasy story that is extremely wide in scope and shows the author’s creativity and imagination to be unlimited. The story is meant to be read as a trilogy, with this, the first book, laying out the details of the hero’s early life and the beginning of how his legend came to be. This is not a complete story by any means, just the first instalment.

With fantastic world building and well drawn, realistically complex characters, Rothfuss pulls the reader into his epic tale. Kvothe, the main character, is neither overly heroic nor too clever for belief. At times he can be both arrogant and rigid but usually he pays a heavy price for showing this side of his character. His slow development from youth to maturity is the main plotline in this first book. The magic, called sympathy, that is cast in this story has been thoughtfully worked out and, at times, almost painstakingly described.

Although there were parts of the book that I found disjointed and predictable, overall, The Name of the Wind is well worth the time invested in it’s reading. Though the story seemed to switch back and forth from being powerful and compelling, to being drawn out and overly wordy, it managed to mostly hold my attention over it’s 600 plus pages, and I fully intend to continue on with the trilogy.

I still haven't picked up the 2nd in that series yet. Maybe I'll wait until I also have the 3rd and read them together. Good review there though and glad to see you enjoyed it.

Hi Dave, yes, I am now on the hunt for Book 2 although I probably won't read it until Book 3 is available. That's the biggest problem with finding a good book - it usually leads to more books!

104. Harp of Burma by Michio Takeyama - 4.2 ★
Category: Soldier Boy



The beautifully written Harp of Burma by Michio Takeyama is the haunting story of a Japanese unit during and after the end of World War II. At the time of it’s original publication it was seen by some as blatant propaganda, but over the years has come to be accepted as a lyrical message about the futility and despair that is always the final result of war. The story is of a Japanese unit deep in the jungles of Burma striving to reach their lines but knowing full well that the war has been lost. After surrendering to the British they sit in prison camp awaiting repatriation and they ponder on the fate of the talented harpist of the unit, missing from his last mission. Is he dead or has he deserted, and if so, why.

The author is showing us a different side of the Japanese soldier, one that we Westerners rarely see. These are young men facing the inevitability of defeat, not knowing what to expect if and when they are returned to their homeland. They miss the comfort and security of their families and hearing about the atomic bomb has brought great unease and uncertainty about their future.

Harp of Burma is a small story in terms of pages, but manages to deliver a large message on idealistic pacifism. I found this story to have a surreal, dreamlike quality and, although simplistic and somewhat dated, I believe this story still has emotional value in today’s world.

105. A Shilling For Candles by Josephine Tey - 4.0 ★
Category: I Will Follow Him



Inspector Alan Grant is a professional first and foremost. He works his way through his cases and ultimately his legwork, matched with his painstaking examination of the clues brings the guilty party to light. In A Shilling for Candles, he is discomforted by the realization that he has a “feeling” that the obvious murderer is innocent.

This is a strange case of an actress found drowned that at first was looked upon as suicide but further examination resulted in a murderer being sought. All the clues are pointing toward the handsome stranger, Robert Tisdall. But with the help of his interesting assortment of witnesses, in particular, young Erica Burgoyne, the daughter of the local Chief Constable, Inspector Grant is eventually able to put the pieces together that make a perfect match and clear the mystery.

While A Shilling For Candles doesn’t provide edge-of-seat action, Josephine Tey does give us great characters, an intriguing mystery and delivers her story in a witty, engaging manner that makes this author a delight to read.

Glad you enjoyed A Shilling for Candles too!

I did enjoy Shilling for Candles, Lori. My only sadness about Josephine Tey is the limited amount of books she produced.

I saw a book today by Tey at the booksale, but it was just an omnibus of three of her works when I examined it so I didn't pick it up.

I have to read Tey someday - and I've got The Name of the Wind on my shelves. Just haven't seemed to be able to fit it in to my reading. In 2013, yes?

Katie, are you are doing what I am doing already? I find myself setting certain books aside for next year's challenge. I'm getting excited about setting it up and it's still 4 months away!

106. The High Crusade by Poul Anderson - 4.1 ★
Category: Heard It Thru the Grapevine - Recommended by Christina



I thoroughly enjoyed my reading of The High Crusade by Poul Anderson. Originally published in serial form over 52 years ago, this story of aliens arriving in the medieval English countryside is extremely inventive and the author makes good use of humor and larger-than -life characters to bring this adventure to life.

Yes, it is a little outlandish and silly at times, but the author’s tongue-in-cheek humor had me laughing out loud during this fun story. An example of this is when these medieval English minds grapple with the concept of aliens from outer space and finally reach the decision that they are probably as bad as the Irish. Of course when these aliens appear, the first thing Sir Roger, Baron de Tourneville, the leader of the English, decides to do is to wade in with sword swinging. Then his plan is to kidnap the spaceship and use it to get to France, fight a quick war then fly on to Jerusalem and show the Saracens the might of England. The fact that the story takes an entirely different turn makes for a surprising and quirky tale that includes not only lots of sword play but political intrigue and romantic misunderstandings as well.

This was my first book by Poul Anderson but I can proclaim that I am now a fan of his. The High Crusade is a book that I think would appeal to both sci-fi and historical fiction fans alike or anyone who is in the mood for a quick adventure that still has some depth to it.

I've got The Man in the Queue on the wishlist - looking forward to making Inspector Grant's acquaintance. :)

Yup - I've definitely got some books set aside for next year, and as for book buying, the category "open" is Mexican literature - although I'm sure I can find enough books on my shelves and at the library to fill that one. Most of my books for this year are already locked in.

probably as bad as the Irish LOL! Since I'm still recovering from Irish Fair over a week ago, I find that really funny. I always hear Paul Anderson mentioned, but have no memory of a book I've read of his, although I'm sure I did when I was a teen. Didn't we all? Looks like a good one for the WL. His page says he was co-founder of the SCA and went to U of MN - that means I could squoosh him into a local category. Next year that is.

@ 196 -- Glad you liked The High Crusade! :) I'm always nervous that I'll recommend a book to someone who ends up hating it.

I really want to read Harp of Burma--I am interested in getting a better understanding of the Japanese viewpoint on WWII.
However--I will have to wait until next year. THere are so many great books mentioned on LT, so my list to read next year is already impossibly long.

#197 - Hi Eva, Inspector Grant is a bit of an enigma, but then again I have only read two Tey's that feature him so far. She doesn't delve into his personal life or characteristics beyond his gathering of clues, interviewing witnesses and solving the mysteries. He appears to be the constant that the other characters revolve around.

#198 - Glad I'm not the only one whose already making piles of books for next year. Of course, planning and list making is half the fun!

#199 - Hi Christina, I loved The High Crusade! It was just the book I needed right now, I was dragging a little and this one totally caught my interest and made reading fun again.

#200 - I've got good news for you, The Harp of Burma is actually a novella, being less than 150 pages. So a quick read for next year that will give you lots of time to fit in even more of the great recommendations that you get here at LT!

107. The Legate's Daughter by Wallace Breem - 3.9 ★
Category: Romeo & Juliet
Reading Through Time Theme: Ancient Rome



The Legate’s Daughter by Wallace Breem is a well crafted, historically detailed story of one man’s redemption as he seeks to rescue a daughter of an aristocratic Roman family. This is far more a story of intrigue and political manoeuvrings than of action or adventure. This author has the ability to place the reader in the scene so vividly that you actually feel like you are walking the streets of Rome or Carthage.

I enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t a simple straightforward story, that I had to work at understanding the implications, and who was actually working with who. I suspect the actuality of Roman politics was very much like this story. The main character spent much of his time puzzling things out and I admit I was right there beside him doing the same.

I have seen some negative reviews about this book, mostly from people who were expecting The Legates Daughter to be a replica of his Eagle In the Snow, but these are two very different books, although both share in common accurate historical details and richly colourful descriptions. While Eagle in the Snow was much more action based, The Legate’s Daughter, I thought, gave a very intricate look at the workings of the rich and powerful in the closing days of the Roman Republic. Betrayal is the name of the game, and The Legate’s Daughter is exceptional in it’s portrayal.

The High Crusade sound nifty. Our library consortium has one copy and I have promptly requested it and await its arrival.

->201 DeltaQueen50:
That's a shame - I do prefer my detectives to have quite the personality, but (a) it's a $2.99 purchase at the Nook Store and (b - and more importantly) you and I normally enjoy the same type of mysteries, so I'll give it a go regardless! :)

Slowly catching up on some threads. Harp of Burma sounds very interesting! Flea loved The name of the wind - could well be one for next year's challenge for me.

#203 - I think you will enjoy The High Crusade, Mamzel, it's a fun read.

#204 - I always find Josephine Tey offers a lot in her mysteries, Eva, so I am confident that you will enjoy this classic British crime story.

205 - Hi Anders, I am leaving tomorrow for two weeks and I will have limited computer time so I will be catching up myself when I get back. For such a small book, Harp of Burma delivers quite a story!

108. Stone Song: A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse by Win Blevins - 5.0 ★
Category: Home On the Range



Although Crazy Horse is considered one of the greatest warriors of the Lakota Nation, I knew very little of his actual life. In Stone Song: A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse, Win Blevins attempts to shed some light on the life of this man. Authentically detailed, this intimate look at such a fascinating figure of history tackles both his personal life and how his legend developed.

As a young boy, Curley, as he was called, was always different. An inward looking, quiet child he held himself separately, causing some to resent him and others to expect great things of him. His vision was one of isolation and sacrifice. Unfortunately this vision both raised him to a prominent position in the tribe but also wreaked havoc in his personal life. Although shunning the spotlight, “Our Strange Man’ as his people called him, grew to be a person of great influence and people often followed his choices. While the author examines the many sides of this complex man, he also never forgets to supply the historical details of the time and place that Crazy Horse lived in. We are totally immersed in the culture of these people, their social customs, warring factions, and the rising anger at the broken promises of the white people that will eventually lead Crazy Horse and his people to the banks of the Little Big Horn River.

I now feel I have a greater understanding of this well known historical character. The author manages to take the facts that are known and bring them richly to life, breathing emotion and spirit into his story. I would highly recommend Stone Song: A Novel of the Life of Crazy Horse to those who would like to read about a genuine Native American hero.

Stone Song is going on WL.

190 Hi, Judy! I just snagged a used paperback of the first volume of Tey's Alan Grant series while we were on vacation. Looking forward to reading it!

Glad to see your review of Jospephine Tey's book. I've been reading more classic British mysteries recently and have been meaning to try one of her books.

I'm back after two weeks on the road with my husband travelling through the Badlands of North Dakota and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Had a great trip except for the nail we picked up in the tire and the three hours of waiting for an accident to clear the highway!

Of course I managed to get some reading in, and will try to get caught up in both my reviews and the threads over the next few days.

109. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm†† by Kate Douglas Wiggin - 3.0 ★



Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin had long been on my radar as I have heard it spoken of in loving terms by my Mother many, many times. Unfortunately, I probably waited too long to read this book as I found it did not really stand the test of time. Rebecca is neither as interesting nor as loveable as L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables or Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

Written early in the 20th century Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is a moralistic tale of a young girl sent to live with her two straight-laced maiden aunts and the life lessons that she learns as she grows to maturity and independence. The aunts have definite ideas of a child’s place, but Rebecca seems to have the ability to gain the love and affection of most people that she meets. From teachers to slightly strange (almost icky) benefactors, she glides through life charming all she meets.

I am glad that I can finally say that I have read this book, and I will definitely tell my Mother that I enjoyed it, but, seriously I would tell most people who are looking for a story of this type to go for the above mentioned Anne of Green Gables or Little Women.

110. Tooth And Nail†† by Craig DiLouie - 3.5 ★
Category: Monster Mash



Tooth And Nail is Craig DiLouie’s take on a zombie story, and he sets his action in New York City and his focus is on an army company that has been brought back from fighting in the mid-east to aid in the outbreak of a influenza-like disease. At first they are simply deployed as aids to the public, guiding them to the care centers and keeping an orderly flow into the hospitals. Soon however, a twist to this disease starts to show up and eventually multiplies until the army is fighting in the streets for their lives and the very survival of America.

At first a small percentage of people undergo a change that turns people into flesh eating creatures, but soon this is happening to more and more of the population. As the soldiers try to complete their mission of rescuing a scientist that may be able to develop a vaccine for this strange yet powerful disease, we see America slowly shut down as this plague spreads.

Overall this was a fast moving, action filled story. I enjoyed the focus on the military aspects and how the author showed the soldiers trying to do their duty, while at the same time, worrying about their own loved ones far away. While not technically a true zombie story, this book has a lot of similarities to the movie, "28 Days Later", and although the ending was left hanging, probably because there will be a sequel, I would recommend this book to both horror and zombie fans alike.

Not really on-topic, but I thought I should mention that I might be the only person on earth who sat down to watch 28 Days Later expecting a romantic comedy.

I was at a friend's house and they asked if I wanted to watch it and I said yes without looking at the DVD cover and I assumed it was a sequel to 28 Days.... It wasn't. At all.

#214 - LOL Eva. I personally loved the movie, but expecting a romantic comedy and then seeing what it was really about, I can only imagine the shock you must have gotten!

111. Murder on the Links†† by Agatha Christie - 4.0 ★
Category: Thriller Night



Murder on the Links is the second Hercule Poirot mystery from Agatha Christie. In this story, told by Poirot’s friend Hastings, we are given a convoluted mystery about a body of a man found in a soon to be built bunker on a proposed golf course. The setting is the chateau in France of this rich yet mysterious dead man. Timing seems to be the matter that concerns Poirot’s little grey cells and, in this case, the timing is very difficult to work out. A good mystery and, we are also treated to the story of how Hastings meets his wife to be and comes to go to South America and raise cattle.

Hercule Poirot is in fine form during this story as Agatha Christie reveals more of this man’s character and motivation. His ego, always a large one, gets plenty of stroking from the local French police that are very happy to see him show up and include him in all details of the case. His superior ways can be a little grating at times but in this case we root for Poirot to solve the mystery before a very snooty Parisian detective does.

Charming and witty, with lots of red herrings to throw you a curve, I enjoyed Murder on the Links very much. As with all of Christie’s mysteries, the fun outweighs the obvious coincidences that she relies upon to move the plot forward.

tooth & nail sounds interesting

->215 DeltaQueen50:
No complaints about the movie at all - it was just a little unexpected. I'll take Christopher Eccleston over Sandra Bullock any day! :)

112. Resolution†† by Robert B. Parker - 4.0 ★
Category: Home On The Ranger



Resolution by Robert B Parker is the second book in his Virgil Cole/Everett Hitch western series and this book picks up right where the first left off. Everett is on his own and arrives in the small town of Resolution. He is hired as a Peacekeeper by the man who runs the most businesses in town, and after proving how adept he is at gunplay while still being fair and honest, he is soon ensconced in the saloon and becomes the man everyone brings their troubles to. From protecting whores to settling disputes amongst the town’s residents, he is settling into Resolution nicely. Of course, it isn’t long before trouble arrives and Everett needs to choose a side, but, luckily his friend and mentor Virgil Cole also makes his appearance.

This is a simple, straight forward western tale of right vs. wrong, meek vs. strong but the relationship between Virgil and Everett raises this book to a whole different level. Talk about chemistry, these two have it to spare.

Parker employs the use of sparse prose and simple conversations in a witty and humorous manner that moves the plot along nicely. Resolution is simply, a downright good read.

Phew - all caught up, and not too many BBs were taken! Always a nice change. :) Hope you're doing well, Judy!

Welcome back, Judy! Glad you mostly had a good time. Sorry to hear about the nail in the tire, though. . .

I've never been to the Dakotas. Would love to hear more about the good stuff there.

#220 - Hi Laura, good to see you!

#221 - Terri, we really enjoyed both Dakotas, perhaps South Dakota a little more. The Black Hills are so scenic, with both Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial to visit. There are interconnecting scenic drives, lots of animals to see - in one evening we saw buffalo, antelope, wild turkeys and lots of deer. Custer State Park which is ajacent to the Black Hills has buffalo and a herd of wild donkeys. We spent a night in the lively town of Deadwood which has lots of gambling casinos, and saw a reenactment of the Wild Bill Hickock shooting. Overall, we were very lucky with the weather, the accomodations and the restaurants.

The Badlands of North Dakota were very scenic as well, but since that is where we were held up by the accident and where we got the nail in the tire, our time for scenic drives was cut short.

Coming home we couldn't resist a quick visit to the Custer Battle Field, and since I had just read the book about Crazy Horse, I was particularly interested to see his part in the battle. This was my fourth visit to the Custer Memorial and I learn something new everytime I go there.

Well, I couldn't resist any longer and I have set up my thread for the 2013 Category Challenge.

check it out here

Already? I didn't even realize the 2013 group was up and running.

*groan* . . .and I can't even keep up with this year's threads . . . ;)

I am still trying to make myself hold off on posting my 2013 thread until December, but it's getting harder and harder with everyone else posting theirs so early. I just don't really want to put it up so early with January just under 4 months away. We'll see how long my resolve holds up!

Hi Terri and Lori, I had the same resolve, determined not to start my thread too early - but what can I say? I have no will power!

One thing for sure now, I am fired up to complete this challenge. Ideally I would like a little time for some totally free reading between the end of this challenge and the start of the 2013 one.

113. Enna Burning†† by Shannon Hale - 3.0 ★
Category: Do You Believe In Magic?



When Shannon Hale set her story of the Goose Girl in the make believe land of Bayern, she thought it was simply for that story. One character, however, spoke to her and she felt this character had her own story to tell, and the result became Enna Burning. Unfortunately, I found the story very slow to evolve and overall, it felt a little forced.

What at first was a rather tedious read did become much more interesting toward the middle of the book as the action picked up. Perhaps my expectations were too high for this book but with a main character that I found difficult to like and an overall darker edge to the story, I missed the charm of the first book.

Shannon Hale has more stories set in the land of Bayern and, although I wish I had enjoyed this one more, I am not ready to give up on this series yet and will certainly try the next book in the future.

Too bad about Enna Burning. I haven't read Hale yet, but am plaing a fairytale category for next year (yup another person ready for next year) and can probably get to her then.

I haven't read Enna Burning but the three books I've read by Shannon Hale I did enjoy.

I'm certainly not ready to give up on Shannon Hale by a long shot. Enna Burning was an ok read, just not the outstanding read that I experienced before with this author. Perhaps my expectations were a little high for this book.

114. Forge by Leslie Halse Anderson - 4.1 ★
Category: Young At Heart



Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson is the second book in her Chains YA series that is set during the American Revolution. In this book, the story follows the American army over the winter that they were in camp at Valley Forge. What helps to make these books so compelling is that these stories are told from the viewpoint to two young black slaves who desire their freedom above all, and this, contrasted with the story of a young country battling for it’s own freedom makes for an engrossing read.

I picked up the book expecting to continue with the story of Isabel, a young girl who had been promised freedom by her mistress upon her death. Instead of the freedom she craved, the greedy heir separated her from her younger sister and sold them separately. Instead this book picks up the story of Curzon, a young black soldier, whom Isabel nursed and together they escaped from their captivity in New York.

Recaptured and now with the army at Valley Forge, they must try and make another bid for freedom. Along with their story, we learn of the difficult conditions the American Patriots endured at Valley Forge, where frigid temperatures and starvation claimed the lives of over two thousand soldiers.

Laurie Halse Anderson has done extensive research into these books, and many of the episodes in the lives of Isabel and Curzon are loosely based on actual slaves’ experiences which adds an emotional impact. Her historical references are well documented and she provides both backup facts and a reading list in the Appendix of the book.

I highly recommend both Chains and Forge and I definitely plan on following these two fascinating characters as they continue on their quest for freedom down a road littered with broken promises, lies and cruelty.

Catching up on your thread here - I adored Lonely Werewolf Girl and its sequel, hope you enjoy them. You've read lots of great YA and children's books lately, I also enjoyed The Seeing Stone, I think I read it late last year and also really liked Gatty's Tale (Crossing Paradise - US title). I must finish off the other two books as well as Chains and Forge.

DQ, sorry you didn't love Enna Burning. I thought it was pretty good, and I also liked the next book, River Secrets. Did NOT enjoy the last Bayern book, Forest Born, though! Maybe by then I'd just had enough? But if you like Shannon Hale, I'd definitely recommend Book of a Thousand Days, which is probably my favorite of hers.

I ought to read more of Laurie Halse Anderson's historical mysteries. I read Fever, 1793 and really enjoyed it. There are just so many other books in my equivalent of Stasia's Black Hole.

#232 - Hi Kerry, I just this morning added Lonely Werewolf Girl to my list of 2013 possibles. I have seen some good reviews of it and I'm looking forward to getting to it. I actually have the second in the Kevin Crossley-Holland series, At The Crossing Places on order at the library and hope to get to it later this week.

#233 - Hi Christina, I have River Secrets loaded on my Kindle and will probably add it to my 2013 reading list, I may decide not to carry on with the 4th, however. Book of a Thousand Days is being added to my wishlist. :)

#234 - I think a lot of us have the equivilent to Stasia's Black Hole, Lori, so I totally understand how it can take a long, long time to get to an author even though they are firmly on the wishlist!

115. Bad Boy by Pater Robinson - 4.3 ★
Category: I Will Follow Him



I was pretty sparse in my praise of the last Inspector Banks book that I read, but in this, the 19th in the series, Peter Robinson is in great form. Unable to resist their charm all girls seem to eventually hook up with a Bad Boy and while Alan Banks is away on a much needed vacation, his daughter Tracy takes up with the handsome Jaff McCready, but, just how bad he is, she is about to find out.

This book is a page turner as first DI Annie Cabot and then a jet-lagged Alan Banks race to save Tracy from the jam she is in, meanwhile some very nasty creatures are tracking Tracy and her bad boy trying to retrieve some property that belongs to their boss, a powerful crime lord that Banks has met before.

This book is a roller coaster ride full of excitement and suspense. Peter Robinson has written a tight, taunt thriller that is hard to put down. I am in awe of this writer, who has 19 books from this one series under his belt and still managing to keep the action fresh and meaningful.

Needless to say, I loved Bad Boy and I am looking forward to number twenty in this series.

Hi Judy! It looks like you've been really lucky with your choices this year as I see lots of high ratings. And congrats on blowing past 100!
You've read the only Josephine Tey I haven't gotten to yet so thanks for reminding me.

19th, crikey, I have the first one on the wishlist. I almost hope I won't like it, or I'll go bananas trying to mow through that whole series! LOL!

#237 - Thanks, Jen. I have had a pretty good reading year so far.

#238 - Eva, I remember not being quite sure about the Alan Banks series at first, but the series grew on me. The author took his time developing Banks and I personally felt that it took 3 or so books for the series to really get a hold of me. There has been some really outstanding Banks books and, a few, that haven't worked as well for me.

Thanks for the heads-up about Alan Banks. It would be nice to have a series I could just pick up now and again instead of binging like I normally do. :)

Funny Eva, I had the same thought. Just what I need - 19 new books in a series to add to the wishlist.

I had the same thought. Just what I need - 19 new books in a series to add to the wishlist.

Me, too!

My goodness, we are gluttons for punishment! ;)

Judy: Your review of Bad Boy reminded me that somehow I never read All The Colors of Darkness. I picked it up a few times and put it down.

Book number 20 comes out in January I think.

#244 - Lisa, I was quite disappointed with The Color of Darkness but I would never advise anyone to skip a book from a series, so just know that Bad Boy is a great read and one to look forward to.

116. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson - 4.5 ★
Category: Calendar Girl



The idea of taking the 9/11 Report and presenting it in a graphic form was excellently accomplished by Sid Jacobson. The 9/11 Commission puts their stamp of approval on this presentation which not only details the events of that fateful day, it gives us background information, the history of terrorism, the repercussions and the Commissions recommendations. I was thorough engrossed in this book and applaud both it’s well executed drawings and straight-forward, concise writing.

This format allows this report to be more accessible to the general public and this manner of presenting such varied and overwhelming material helps to answer many questions that both children and adults ask about the events of that day. Of course, no true understanding of such a senseless, horrific act can ever be simply explained, but this book would make a valuable tool for any student of history.

Most people will always remember the heart-breaking images of that day and the horrible confusion that we all felt. This book doesn’t solve, sooth, or take away any of those feelings, but I do believe that I have an overall greater understanding of what America and the world faced that day.

"The make believe land of Bayern" made me smile: "Bayern" is Bavaria, in both Swedish and German :)

I didn't know that, Anders, but I suspect it is still a make-believe land as I don't think there's magic floating around Bavaria. :)

My point exactly. A strange choice of name though!

Knowing this author, it may have been a silent nodding of her head towards the Brothers Grimn.

117. Breed by Chase Novak - 4.1 ★
Category: Monster Mash



Breed by Chase Novak (a pseudonym for well-know author Scott Spencer) takes the horror genre and tells the story of Alex and Leslie, two upscale New Yorkers who have pretty much everything except children. After trying all known treatments and medical procedures they are exhausted and just about at the end of their rope. Alex learns of one more doctor, one more procedure that seems to be their last chance and, although Leslie has some reservations, they take themselves off to Slovenia to meet with the mysterious doctor.

Ten years later, they are the parents of twins, a boy and a girl, but their household is far from perfect. This is a very different couple than from that of ten years ago. Their beautiful townhouse is going to rack and ruin, the kitchen is filthy and full of dirty dishes, the children must be locked into their rooms every night, and something strange is going on in the tightly locked basement. The loving phrase “I could just eat you all up.” is one you may want to shelve after reading Breed.

I really enjoyed this book, I think for the most part as it doesn’t take itself all that seriously. There are some very funny moments mixed in with some genuinely scary parts, and this version of the “urge to breed” format definitely has a general feeling of being an updated account of Rosemary’s Baby. Slick and fast-paced, the author intersperses horror with comedy as he injects his take on the upwardly mobile society of New York.

Breed sounds kind of fun - & I've always hated that phrase "I'm going to eat you all up." I knew about Hansel and Gretel long before the first person said that around me.

118. The Heart of the Family by Annie Groves - 3.8 ★
Category: Soldier Boy



The third in Annie Groves’ Campion Family series, The Heart of the Family follows this Liverpool family through the days World War II. By this book it is the winter of 1941 and Liverpool has experienced a series of brutal bombings as the Nazi’s attempted to close this valuable harbour. Down-heartened and dispirited, now they must find the energy and will to continue the battle.

The immediate family is a close knit one and everyone participates in their own way to the war effort, from fire-watching to nursing. The two youngest, the twins having had their place of employment bombed, and are searching for new jobs It appears that they have snagged jobs at the telephone exchange, which pleases one but not the other who longs for more excitement in her life. The eldest daughter is in her final months of nursing training and is looking forward to her graduation and subsequent wedding day. Meanwhile Luke, the son of the family, has received notice that his unit is about to be shipped out to the deserts of Africa.

We follow the stories of each member, along with their aunts, uncles and cousins. All are involved or affected by the war. These various stories evolve to give us a very clear picture of Liverpool during this time in history. The author actually drew on her own family’s experiences and stories told to her by her grandmother.

Engaging and well written, the reader gets very involved in all the characters storylines, rooting for the favourites and now eagerly waiting for the next book to see what happens to these people next.

Putting The 9/11 Report on the to-buy list - sounds like a good format to talk about that particular day.

Hi Eva, having the events of the day, background material and a look at where this led us laid out in a simple, straightforward manner would, I agree, be the perfect place to start investigating 9/11.

119. Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak - 4.0 ★
Category: True Colors



I found Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her to be a captivating read. Just as Nancy solves mysteries, the author, Melanie Rehak delves into all the rumors that circulate about this imaginary character and sheds light on her creation, who sustained her, and how she came to be an icon for so many girls through a number of generations. More than just an explanation of the part Nancy Drew played, this book offers an examination of women’s roles and development through the early years of the 20th century.

Originally envisioned by Edward Stratemeyer, it was actually two women who breathed life into Nancy Drew. Edward Stratemeyer ran a publishing syndicate that also was responsible for the serials The Bobbsey Twins and The Hardy Boys. The acknowledged author, Carolyn Keene, was also invented by Mr. Stratemeyer and, in fact, the women whom credit is due is both his own daughter, Harriet and the free spirited Mildred Wirt Benson.

Originally appearing in 1930, and selling for 50 cents a copy, Nancy stepped right into the hearts and minds of young girls everywhere. By December, 1933, the Nancy Drew books were outselling all other series books.

Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her is extensively researched, entertainingly written and her take on this amazingly long-lived franchise is definitely attention holding. I admit that although I was more of a Trixie Belden fan, I read more than my fair share of Nancy Drew books in my youth, and this look at her development over the years is well worth investigating.

->255 DeltaQueen50:
Such a bizarre day, wasn't it?!

The book about the creation of Nancy Drew sounds interesting.

The Girl Sleuth book has caught my eye.... I loved the Nancy Drew books when I was young, almost as much as I loved the Hardy Boys books! ;-)

Girl Sleuth sounds like a very interesting read. I was also a big Nancy Drew fan when I was young. I liked Trixie Belden too, but my real favourite was The Three Investigators.

#257 - Eva, that day will always be one that I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I suspect this holds true for most people. The other day that stands out in my life like that (and here I am aging myself) is the day Jack Kennedy was killed.

#258, 259, 260 - Nancy Drew is one literary character that most women (and many men) have read about. She has affected a number of generations, and although she doesn't get the respect of say, Jo March of Little Women, she certainly has had a wide influence. I thought the book, although at times almost too detailed, certainly gave Nancy Drew the attention she deserved.