Lori's (lkernagh) 2013 ROOT for 30

Lori's 2013 ROOT Challenge

I don't need another challenge but I can not pass up the opportunity to give this one a go - especially as it will fit so nicely with my 2013 category challenge. Besides, I need all the encouragement I can get to read more books off my own TBR bookcase.

Looking at my 2012 reading, it looks like I managed to read 22 books off my TBR bookcase in 2012, with some cheats (recent acquisitions). My goal for 2013 is to increase that number, and remove the cheats. With that in mind, I am going to set a goal here of 30 books read off the TBR bookcase - the only caveat being that the books have to have been acquired on or before December 31, 2012 - books acquired in 2013 don't count. That should be a do-able number while still leaving me with reading room for all the shiny new and library books that I know I will still want to read in 2013.




Books read:
1. Clay: A Novel by Melissa Harrison
2. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka-
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -
4. The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison -
5. Enter At Your Own Risk: Old Masters, New Voices edited by Alex Scully -
6. Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon -
7. Ice Song by Kirsten Imani Kasai -
8. Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson -
9. F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton -
10. Old Filth by Jane Gardam -
11. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon -
12. Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril and Romance by Marthe Jocelyn -
13. The Rules of Gentility by Janet Mullany -
14. Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle -
15. The Arabian Nights Entertainments selected and edited by Andrew Lang -
16. Mary Todd Lincoln: Her Life and Letters by Mary Todd Lincoln, Justin Turner and Linda Levitt Turner -
17. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson -
18. The Alienist by Caleb Carr -
19. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff -
20. The Moor is Dark Beneath the Moon by David Watmough -
21. The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe -
22. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson -
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous -
24. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson -
25. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson -
26. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters -
27. Dale Loves Sophie to Death by Robb Foreman Dew -
28. Un Lun Dun by China Mieville -
29. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon -
30. Night Train to NykoBing by Kristjana Gunnars -

I am looking forward to starting the challenge on January 1, 2013. Now the question is - how many books will this group add to my growing TBR pile....... ? ;-0

that is always the problem isn't it?

Yay! Glad to see you here! :) Good luck with the challenge!

Good luck, Lori!

Hi Lori! I'm trying for 30 as well. I really should join a challenge not to acquire any more!

Welcome Lori!

Hi Lori - I thought there were a few friends missing from here. Glad to see you! Good luck!

I think it is important to be able to read the new books you buy this year too! Otherwise, the problem only increases for next year. Good luck!

>8 raidergirl3: Ha, that's a great point, raidergirl3!

I thought I'd pop over and say hi, Lori. Happy reading!

Hi Lori! Good luck, you can do this! :)

Hello, i wish you courage ... to resist the new books ;-)

Thanks Jean, rabbitprincess, Christina, Susan, Connie, Betty, raidergirl, Tanglewood, Laura and Lunarreader! I am embarrassed to admit that my current reads right now are a library book and an e-book download from Project Gutenberg, so they don't count here but hey, it is only the second day of 2013!

Lori, I also picked up books from the library yesterday, so I'm in a similar position, although I have started a couple of ROOT books (one of them will take weeks). Are you not counting ebooks? I find the Kindle clutter worse than my hard copy TBR pile (which is admittedly tiny) so I really want to make some inroads into it this year.

it is only the second day of 2013!

Thanks for the reminder, Lori! I've been feeling bad that I haven't finished any books to put here or in the 2013 challenge. But it's only the 3rd, so there is really still plenty of time!

> 13 - I will track e-books if I have had them on my device for some time. The e-book I am reading right now was downloaded Dec 30th..... Wait a minute.... So, according to my own rules in the OP, the e-book will count as a ROOTs read. Go figure. Thanks, Susan!

> 14 - I know, all the hustle and bustle on LT a this time of year doesn't do much to stem the early panic attacks regarding reading progress! I think we can stem off any panic for at least a couple of months.... ;-)

#15: Glad to help :-) I have no idea how long much of my Kindle stuff has been there, but it's worrying when I click a link to a freebie on amazon and it says "You purchased this on..." and I have no memory of doing it! I was considering getting The Life of Pi the other day, as it was a good price on the UK site, but when I clicked the cover up came that message again and sure enough, it's on the Kindle, but unread.

Hi Lori, I'm dropping by to place a star and wish you luck with your challenge. I have to admit that I couldn't resist placing a library order yesterday but I am planning on getting to quite a few that are on my shelves this month as well. It's a balancing act ...

I am seriously not paying proper attention to my ROOT reading. Apparently, I finished my first ROOT read back on Jan 13th.

1. Clay: A Novel by Melissa Harrison



an LTER book that was a bit overdue for a read and review.....;-)
(review here - post 192)

2. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka-



This one has been on my TBR Bookcase since May of 2011. Overall, I am not a fan of this one, and glad to have it finished and off my future reading list. Other readers will probably be able to enjoy and get more meaning out of the story than I did. (review here - post 216)

Lori - I use December 31st of the previous year as my cut off too. I'm wondering how exactly you cheat? Or maybe I shouldn't have that info?

I'm wondering how exactly you cheat?

Hi Joyce, that is a valid question! Last year over on the 12 in 12 Category Challenge, I had a category for books read off my TBR bookcase. for that challenge I included in the category books that were recent acquisitions -in other words, books that had been acquired only two or three months previously. To make sure I didn't do the same thing this year with my ROOT reading, I have designated December 31, 2012 as the firm cutoff date for books that fit my ROOT reading.

Ah, yes, the "my TBR is any book I got before today" cheat. I hear you.

I finished my third ROOT book this morning - one that I was reading off and on for most of January.

3 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -



This was a free download from Project Gutenberg back in December so it just makes my TBR pile cutoff. This was my first foray into Jane Austen's works and I was pleasantly surprised by the story, in view of the patriarchal society of the time period and how love isn't just about first impressions. (review here - post 43)

#4 - The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison -



This was a book purchase I made in 2011. This story has some strong points - solid background research, well drawn flawed characters and descriptive details. The downside for me is that I came away feeling that the author tried too hard to pack too much into one book - too many characters, too many narrators, too many lovers, too many divergent plots. Overall, an interesting story about World War II, child evacuees and the British spirit to carry on as the war pounded on around them. (review here - post 63)

#5 - Enter At Your Own Risk: Old Masters, New Voices edited by Alex Scully -



This is an anthology of Gothic literature, comprising of 28 short stories and an e-book LTER win from the October 2012 batch that I haven't gotten around to reading and reviewing until now. A number of these stories are oldies but goodies from the literature vault. Other stories included are the works of newer, fresher authors. While the stories did not raise the hair on the back of my neck, I did find them to be deliciously creepy and steeped in atmosphere. (review here - post 76)

Book #6 - Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon -



This one has been on my TBR bookcase since September 2009 and would probably still be sitting there unread if it wasn't for the AwardCAT over on the 2013 Category Challenge this month.... this was the only book I had that would fit the sub-challenge!

Riding the Bus With My Sister is a memoir that grew out of a request made by Beth, Rachel's sister. Beth is a woman in her late 30's, born with mental disabilities and spends her days - and schedules her life around - riding the buses in her Pennsylvania city. What started out as a one day adventure for Rachel to write an article for a newspaper about Beth's bus riding became, at Beth's request, a 12 month journey, a few days a month, where Rachel would put her busy -and empty - life schedule on hold to visit Beth and ride the buses with her.

An interesting and different type of memoir containing some good life lessons. Overall, I am glad I pulled this one off the shelf and finally got around to reading it. (review here - post 82)

You are doing well and if you keep going at this rate you may have to up your target number!

I hope so Judy! I have a bad habit of fizzling mid year on some of these challenges so the more momentum I can carry now, the better!

Book #7 - Ice Song by Kirsten Imani Kasai -



Another book that has been sitting on my TBR Bookcase since 2009. Fantasy usually isn't my type of genre and for me, this is more of an interesting spin on an adult fairy tale. For a debut novel that fits into a genre I don't usually read, this ended up being an okay story for me.... a little on the long side at some 372 pages - could have easily cut 50-75 pages from it and I blame the editors for that - but overall okay and makes this another book now read and off my TBR Bookcase. (review here - post 105)

Book #8 - Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson -



I purchased this one back in 2009 because I was interested to read Guterson's portrayal of the Japanese-American internment, as Canada had also interned Japanese-Canadians in British Columbia at the same time and for the same reasons the Americans did during World War II.

Don't read this one if all you are looking for is gripping courtroom drama. This has so much more to offer than that: a bittersweet forbidden love story, a poetic sense of time and place, the harsh realities of war, and an almost clinical examination of a small fishing community grappling with feelings of post World War II racism, hatred and suffering.

Overall, a story that I believe presents a very well rounded approach to the topic with a lot going for it but I can see where the meandering nature of the story can be frustrating for some readers to sit down and enjoy. (review here - post 162)

Great comments on Snow Falling on Cedars. I inherited a copy about 10 years ago, and have never really felt like reading it, although it does sound possibly okay. You give me hope. But I think if I don't read it this year, I'm going to pass it on to the charity bin.

Hi Joyce, it won't be a total loss if you end up donating the book to the charity bin. I was rather surprised how much I enjoyed the story, probably because of all the different elements I wasn't expecting.

Book #9 - F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton - audiobook narrated by Mary Peiffer -



This is an audiobook I started listening to back on Septemer 9, 2012. Because I don't listen to music or audiobooks during my walking commute in the darker days of winter, I dusted this one off and started at the start.

I do like the character of our private investigator, gutsy 33 year old Kinsey Millhone. A work driven, relationship gun-shy woman who presents a strong, in control front as protection for what she feels inside. Listening to the narration by Mary Peiffer was like re-connecting with an old friend after a long absence. (full review here)

Book #10 - Old Filth by Jane Gardam -



I purchased this one back in May of 2012 and happy that a group read motivated me to read it. Gardam beautifully captures the voice of an old Raj orphan who finds himself at a crossroads of sorts in the twilight years of his life. The access to the characters is beautifully managed as some things, as in real life, are only fleetingly alluded to, while other things are left unmentioned.

Richly told, this was a memorable reading experience for me and I look forward to reading the next book in the series, The Man in the Wooden Hat. (full review here)

Congratulations on your excellent review of Old Filth getting into Hot Reviews. I have put it on my list.

Thanks Vivienne, I do think Old Filth is a wonderful story and is my first Gardam read. I love it when I 'discover' an author after they are already well established with a slew of books written for me to dive into! ;-)

After a rather dry spell of no ROOTs reading, I did manage to finish one ROOT in May:

Book #11 - At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon -



I purchased most of the books in Jan Karon's Mitford series, including this one, back in May of 2011 and I am only now getting around to start reading the books. What a charming, delightful series this is proving to be so far, filled with charming home-grown characters and a nicely balanced mix of religion, humour, romance, mystery, politics, crime and pretty much anything else that one might imagine. I have already placed the second book in the series, A Light in the Window on my bedside table for reading. (full review here)

Book #12 - Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril and Romance by Marthe Jocelyn -



I purchased this one back in the spring of 2009 - time to move this one off the TBR bookcase!

Set in turn of the century Perth County, Ontario (circa 1901), this is a charming story told by Mable through her journal entries, newspaper excerpts of note and Mable's own attempts to write poetry and a serial story of adventure, peril and romance Mable sends to her friend, Hattie, as 14 year old Mable moves with her older sister Viola to a small town some distance from their own home where Viola becomes the new school mistress. It captures rural/ small town life of the period nicely, when the telephone was very much a new thing and women working in factories were struggling for the right of fair work conditions. (full review here)

Book #13 - The Rules of Gentility by Janet Mullany -



This is one of those impulse buys that has been languishing on my TBR bookcase for .... well.... okay, I don't know exactly for how long, but I do know that the acquisition predates January 2012, which is when I started recording acquisition dates for all of my books.

The author categorizes this book as a "Raucous Regency" and that is a good term to describe this one. This book pokes fun at every aspect of social propriety of that deliciously madcap Regency era. It is obvious that the author had fun writing this one and it should be treated as the darling bit of escapism fluff reading it is meant to be. (full review here)

One more ROOT read to wrap up the month with:

Book #14 - Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle -



This book has been sitting on my TBR Bookcase since I purchased it back in 2011. This was a surprisingly good read for me. In young Patrick, Doyle has captured the quintessential young boy living in a 1960's working class community. Parts of the story are touchingly amusing. Many of the stories and events told here resonate with authenticity and give voice to some of the toughness and struggles children and families in these communities experienced during the 1960's and reminded me once again about the bullying that went on in the pre Social Media world of my own youth.

Overall, this one is well worth reading for its well written insights into family, community and peers from a young boy's point of view. (full review here)

Book #15 - The Arabian Nights Entertainments selected and edited by Andrew Lang -



I have finally - after a year of hounding by my other half - gotten around to reading this one. I enjoyed the stories for the Middle Eastern atmosphere and flavor but over time found the stories, even though richly told with diverse characters and situations, started to have a 'same old, same old' feel to them. Even today, these are great stories of morals, values and beliefs gone astray and the result of that straying from the set path. I particularly liked how the stories have a nice gender balance and the women weren't just shadow figures in the stories. Some were smarter than the men and saved the day (so to speak) while others were powerful magicians (both good and evil).

While we think that most fables and fairy tales are stories for adults to read to their children, I was intrigued to learn that these Arabian Nights tales were created for and told to an adult audience by people whose profession at the time was to amuse men and women by telling tales. I can see how an adult would view these stories differently than a child would, and gain deeper meaning from them.

If you have never read the stories of the Arabian Nights before, Lang's smaller collection may be a good place to start before attempting to tackle one of the larger, more complete collections of stories such as Richard Burton's English version or Antoine Galland's French version.

Full review can be found on the book page and here

Book #16 - Mary Todd Lincoln: Her Life and Letters by Mary Todd Lincoln, Justin Turner and Linda Levitt Turner -



I purchased this rather large (750 page) tome last year as a perfect fit for my Epistolary category and because I was interested in what I might learn about this enigmatic woman who seemed to generate such polarizing views in people of her time period. Overall, this was at times a fascinating read into the thinking and behavior patterns of Mary Lincoln. So why only 3 stars, you might ask? Well, for one, it was rather long-winded. The Turners choose to provide as complete a collection as possible based on the letters still available that they were able to gain permission to publish in this book, but some of it really would only fascinate a reader seeking even the most minutiae detail of Mary's life. The book also lacks a completeness in that it only consists of the letters written by Mary Lincoln. There are no letters written to Mary Lincoln in the book, leaving this reader unsatisfied with its one-sided correspondence. I did learn a lot about Mary Lincoln.... enough to have no desire to seek out further books written about her, not right away, anyways.

Full review can be found on the book page and here

Book #17 - Crow Lake by Mary Lawson -



This is my kind of story! I am still amazed that I purchased this one on a whim based solely on the recommendation of a total stranger at a book sale, took it home, place it on my bookcase and promptly forgot about it for over three years. Why didn't I start reading it as soon as I got it home!!?!

To say that this is a story about coping with loss and the struggles and sacrifices made to keep a family together really oversimplifies all that this story has to offer a reader.

Overall, a wonderfully poignant story that kept me up reading way, way past my usual bed time and provided me with a strong connection to characters that has been missing from a number of books I have been reading lately.

Full review can be found on the book page and here

Crow Lake was on my wishlist forever, and then a friend gave me a copy, but I'm scared to read it. It just looks so depressing, and not in a good way.

Ohh, this book sounds interesting and is translated into Dutch. Now I have to go and look for it.

> 44 - Hi Joyce, Crow Lake was at times a bleak read for me but I didn't find it overly depressing. It is more a story of the main character sifting through the memories of her childhood and the guilt she feels over her education and career in relation to her family. Of course, that being said, some of my favorite writers tend to write stories that focus on the depressing, despairing aspects of life so I am probably not the best person to try and convince that Crow Lake is not a depressing read.

> 45 - I hope you enjoy it, Connie. It provides a great slice of life point of view and Lawson's storytelling is really good!

Lori - I expect if I ever get the courage to read it, I will love it!

Book #18 - The Alienist by Caleb Carr -



I purchased this book in May 2012 and decided now was a good time to read it and move it off the TBR bookcase. This psychological driven crime story is set in New York City circa 1896 and focused on the use of, at that time, cutting edge forensic methods and psychological profiling to try and ascertain the killer's identity.

Overall, this one is a solid and well researched crime story that made for interesting reading. I just wish it had been a bit shorter in length - 512 pages seems a bit much for what the story conveys - and I wish it had more of an action/suspense build to it. This story would be fantastic adapted for film as the detail made it easy for me to visualize the story as I read it.

Full review can be found on the book page and here

I like mystery stories from around that time when using forensics to solve mysteries was just starting and detectives could not depend only on them to solve crimes. But you lost me at 500+ pages.

> 49 - The Alienist does seem to require a bit of a time commitment from the reader. Here is hoping a film adaptation appears at some point!

Book #19 - The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff



I actually re-read 84, Charing Cross Road before picking up and reading The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, a book that has been sitting on my TBR bookcase since 2010.

Written in diary format, this book captures Hanff's trip to England in 1971, when she finally travels across the pond to promote her book, 84, Charing Cross Road and to satisfy her lifelong dream, to find, "The England of English literature". Beautifully told with charm and candor, I was transported back in time to a world that is wonderfully timeless. It is the magic of 84, Charing Cross Road that carries this second book and gives it meaning. I highly recommend that the two books be read back to back.

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street is the perfect read for anyone who loves 84, Charing Cross Road, is a book lover, and anglophile or just loves to armchair travel.

Full review can be found here

Books #20 - The Moor is Dark Beneath the Moon by David Watmough -



I purchased this book about this time last year when I came across a book sale while walking through the library courtyard on my lunch break. Silly me didn't realize that this is book 12 in a rather loosely knit series of books all based on the main character, Davey Bryant, so it is possible that my quibbles about this story could be because I haven't read any of the previous books.

For the most part this is your typical "death in the family = return to one's roots" kind of introspective study. Problem is the book isn't all that introspective. I found Davey to be a rather crotchety septuagenarian and I had troubles coming to terms with a character that on one hand was enjoying manipulating situations while at the same time weakly finding himself subject to some unusual time shifts of memory. From a settings perspective, Watmough does a good job conveying the dichotomy of a Cornwall that has never changed in hundreds of years with the Cornwall that is unrecognizable to its returning son. The ending left me unsatisfied.... pieces were still not adding up in a clean manner, but like life, maybe it isn't supposed to add up. Some things tend to remain a mystery, no matter how hard we try to uncover the truth.

Full review can be found on the book page or here

Books #21 - The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe -



I bought this one back in May of 2011. The Butcher Boy is a disturbing view inside the mind of a troubled young boy, Francis "Francie" Brady. Told from Francie's point of view in a garbled stream of consciousness style of writing, and filled with a lot of dark humor, confusing leaps in mental focus and horrifying scenes of macabre, this is a disturbing read as Francie's world is filled with death and loss.

As much as I am glad to have finally read this one, I am equally glad that it is now off my TBR pile and it can find a new home somewhere else. This one started to hit my boundaries for horror and morbidity and makes it a difficult one for me to recommend to anyone because of that.

Full review can be found on the book page or here

Book #22 - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson -



Bought this one back in November of 2009 and finally getting around to reading this first book in Larsson's trilogy. I am discovering that I actually like the slow building, detailed, journalistic quality story-telling approach this story takes and I love the psychological aspect of this one.... really well done how Larsson captured the personalities and emotions of the characters and their reactions to situations. Lisbeth is such a fantastically complex character and one of the best character developments I have read in quite some time.

Am I sold on the trilogy? You bet I am.... I have already started The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Book #23 - Go Ask Alice by Anonymous -



First published in 1971, this fictionalized diary of a teenage girl's decent into a world of drugs and her struggles to resurface from that world presented quite a shock when it first came out. it was one of those books that was still making the rounds when I was a teenager. I purchased a copy back in 2009 - not sure why, was probably something I came across on a discount table or in a used bookstore - and it has been languishing on my TBR bookcase since then.

What caught my attention on this re-read was that while the book is dated/retro in its feel, this story still has some valueable insight to offer readers of today, and not just teenage readers.

Full review of my thoughts can be found here

Book #24 - The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson -



I purchased book two in the Millennium Trilogy back in the spring of 2011. As you may have already guessed, I am completely sold on this trilogy. I finished the remaining 75 pages this evening and I will be starting book three The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest before I go to sleep tonight. Loved the dual streams of investigation - one police procedural and one investigative journalism in this one and the enigma that Lisbeth is as a character. Looking forward to the third book in the trilogy with mixed emotions as it is the last one.......

The third was my favorite. Hope you enjoy. It's hard not to rush right through it.

> 57 - The third book ended up being my favorite one too, Betty!

Books #25 - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson -



I purchased book three in the Millennium Trilogy back in the fall of 2011. This was the best book in the trilogy for me. The characters are now solidly grounded but still have a few surprises for the readers. I really like how the book had a number of predominant characters for the reader to focus on, including more attention being paid to Berger.... it wasn't just about Salander and Blomkvist. For me this one was all about plot, plot, plot. In book three Larsson was able to manage something that other writers seem to struggle with - how to make multiple plot lines and point of views weave together into a cohesive story so that the reader doesn't feel as though they are being jumped around all the time. He keeps the pace going but not at a constant breakneck race against time pace like some suspense thrillers.... it is slower and allows the reader time to take in the information and analyse it.

Overall, a great trilogy to escape into and I can see why it appealled to such a broad range of readers. It has a little bit of everything. I am saddened that there are no more Salander and Blomkvist stories to read. I can see where, if Larsson had lived, the story would have continued.

I'm glad you liked it. I felt he left enough unanswered questions that it would have led into a fourth book. Yes - too bad we won't have more of them.

Catching up a bit after I'd been slacking for a while, and I'm so sad to see those feelings about length! I didn't think there was anything in The Alienist that ought to have been cut from it, nothing was superfluous, no long-winded rambling tangents, just an excellent story. Personally I find quite the opposite, if something is well-written than the longer the better! Why would I want such a great read to quit before its time?! I'm already sad enough to leave behind exquisite worlds once the last page has been turned, I'd hate to do so sooner! :)

> 59 - Hi Betty, I am so sad that the stories have now ended, always the sign of a great read!

> 60 - I think it is the combination of slow moving plot, attention to detail and the length of the story that makes some reads a bit of a slog for me. If it helps any, I am starting to gain a better appreciation for the slow building stories, enough to consider an another attempt at reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, a book I abandoned earlier this year around the 200 page mark. There may be hope for me, yet! ;-0

I thought that was an interesting one, definitely worth a read, but it's not my favorite Chabon. Yiddish Policemen's Union and Gentlemen of the Road were both excellent, though.

I Loved Gentlemen of the Road! That was my kind of story. ;-)

I haven't been by in a while, so lots to comment on!

I loved Crow Lake - I bawled and bawled at the end. Although it is rather typical 'depressing Canadian lit, with bleak settings', it still was a fabulous read. I keep meaning to read her other book.

The Girl Who... trilogy was a great read. I liked the second book the best, but over all, good thrilling mystery.

I liked Gentlemen of the Road as well, although it wasn't my usual type of book.

Five more to go? Looks like you will make your goal this year. Keep it up.

Yup, 5 more to go.... definitely do-able! ;-)

Book #26 - The Night Watch by Sarah Waters -



I purchased my copy of The Night Watch back on December of 2012, so it hasn't been sitting all that long on my TBR bookcase. It is a bit of a strange book. The majority of the story takes place in 1944 and while it tends to jump around from character to character, this section wasn't as confusing to read as the 1947 section was. The end of the story takes one final leap back in time to 1941.

While Waters did not manage to answer all of my questions with her backward framing of history method of story telling, nor did she lead me to care deeply for any of the characters besides Kay, she has masterfully captured the sights, sounds and overall experience of wartime London during the bombing raids. That alone made this one worth the effort to read and managed to capture my waning interest in the book. While I wasn't as taken with this one as I was with The Little Stranger, I can appreciate Waters' skill in drawing the reader in to experience the story, just read it.

Full review here

Book #27 - Dale Loves Sophie to Death by Robb Foreman Dew -



I have had my copy of Dale Loves Sophie to Death since 2009. To quote one of the three reviews currently posted on Librarything: "Confusing, overwrought and too much introspection and navel gazing for my liking." sums this one up nicely. There is nothing likeable about any of the characters. They are all whiny, self-centered individuals that do not seem to understand how to love, care or give, unless it is as some 'over the top' reaction or outburst. Ironically, the story has a languid flow to it. Even when startling events occur, they occur without emotionally involving the reader and appear as though viewed through thick, bottle glass - you can see what is going on but it is a bit blurry and muffled.

If introspective examinations of personal and family life written in languid and florid prose appeals to you - I know, that sounds like a contradiction but the story has both - this is probably your kind of story. For me, it was a book that I almost Pearl-ruled, decided to stick with it, grew to appreciate some aspects of the story but for the most part it fell somewhat flat of its mark.

Full review can be found on the book page and here

Book #28 - Un Lun Dun by China Mieville -



I purchased this one back in September of 2011 and thanks to the group read, it becomes one more ROT read off my TBR bookcase.

Un Lun Dun is, without a doubt, geared towards a younger audience. Mieville stays true to his craft as a creator of interesting worlds and in stretching the boundaries or writing other world stories. Un Lun Dun has a bit of frivolous fun to it but overall, it was just an okay read for me.

Full review can be found here

One more book finished and I have chosen a short one off my TBR bookcase that I should be able to read in the next 24 hours to complete my ROOT challenge.

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Book #29 - A Light in the Window by Jan Karon -



As comfort reads go, Jan Karon's Mitford Years series is a quiant way to relax and recharge one's batteries..... get away from the hustle and bustle of life (or in my case, get away from the stress and frantic activity that is the holiday season!) and be reminded of the important things in life. Not quite as good as book one At Home in Mitford, IMO, but still an entertaining read that brought a smile to my face and the odd tear to my eye. I would give anything to be able to see Miss Sadie's home, Fernbank, and that amazing ballroom - not to mention the Porter Place - mand meet Miss Rose and Uncle Billie!

I will continue the next book in the series the next time I feel the pressures of everyday life and need to escape to a small town where time seems to have a different pace and where the townfolk band together when difficulties occur.

Book #30 - Night Train to NykoBing by Kristjana Gunnars -



A slim novella at a mere 95 pages in length purchased back in 2012 and I don't really know what to quite what to say about this one. It makes for a fractured, fragmented read, but maybe that is the intention since we are dealing with a narrator going through the throws of an emotional angst/release. The book flap talks about this story as being, and I quote: "a transformative tale that articulates the dense codes of love, the passion of waiting, and the terrifying intensity of a life on the edge of abandonment." Sounds amazing when put like that but I didn't find the story transformative or the intensity described as being terrifying. It is a story of a woman who was lost - set adrift by her own choice, if you will - and through time and reflective thought, finds her true self once again.

It is possible that I rushed through this one and it may make more sense on a slower, second methodical read-through but for the most part I have to call this one one of those literary works that are smartly written and offer themselves up to the reader for indepth examination, something I wasn't up to tackling on the second last day of 2013. It did capture my interest enough that I will do something I don't normally do - I am going to keep this copy for a future re-read.

And that is my goal of 30 Roots off my TBR bookcase completed! Looking forward to tackling more ROOTS next year, but in the meantime, I want to wish everyone a

Congrats, Lori!

Happy new year to you too.

on reaching your target. Well done!!!

Happy New Year to you too.

Woo hoo! Nice work!! Happy New Year! :D