DeltaQueen's 75 Book Challenge for 2013 - Part Five

Welcome to my 5th thread.

My books and reading have been a great comfort to me in recent days and yearning for a quieter, simpler time brings to mind many of the books that I loved when a child. I have decided to open my thread with some beautiful children's illustrations from artists that I remember.

Florence Sara Winship:



Virginia Frances Sterrett:



Blanche Fisher Wright:

Number of Books Read in 2013:




Number of Pages read in 2013:

Currently Reading:



A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

BOOKS READ

January

1. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (256 pages) - 4.0 ★
2. Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden (304 pages) - 4.2 ★
3. Double Crossing†† by Meg Mims (264 pages) - 2.0 ★
4. The Missing by Jane Casey (496 pages) - 3.7 ★
5. Domain of the Dead†† by Iain McKinnon (216 pages) - 3.5 ★
6. I Was Amelia Earhart†† by Jane Mendelsohn (160 pages) - 4.0 ★
7. Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith (480 pages) - 4.1 ★
8. The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli (272 pages) - 3.3 ★
9. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (288 pages) - 5.0 ★
10. The Sandman Vol 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman (232 pages) - 4.5 ★
11. Hunter by Joy Cowley (176 pages) - 4.3 ★
12. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (592 pages) - 4.1 ★
13. Tilt-A-Whirl by Chris Grabenstein (321 pages) - 4.0 ★
14. Brighton Rock - Graham Greene (324 pages) - 4.5 ★
15. Fright by Cornel Woolrich (256 pages) - 4.0 ★
16. An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor (320 pages) - 3.8 ★

February

17. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (229 pages) - 4.4 ★
18. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (563 pages) - 5.0 ★
19. Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy Sayers (256 pages) - 3.8 ★
20. The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville (326 pages) - 4.1 ★
21. Ice Forged by Gail Z. Martin (563 pages) - 3.1 ★
22. The Armada Boy by Kate Ellis (217 pages) - 4.0 ★
23. The Scorpio Races†† by Maggie Stiefvater (410 pages) - 2.0 ★
24. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (534 pages) - 4.3 ★
25. The Sandman Vol 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman (160 pages) - 4.0 ★
26. Penrod by Booth Tarkington (186 pages) - 3.2 ★
27. A Long And Winding Road†† by Win Blevins (336 pages) - 3.1★
28. Black Mulberries by Caitlin Davies (551 pages) - 3.6 ★
29. Winter in Thrush Green†† by Miss Read (Dora Saint) (219 pages) - 4.2 ★
30. Dark Matter†† by Michelle Paver (256 pages) - 4.5 ★
31. Cold Light by John Harvey (375 pages) - 4.3 ★
32. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (363 pages) - 4.0 ★

BOOKS READ

March

33. A Year In the Life of the Cotswolds by Beata Moore (111 pages) - 3.3 ★
34. Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie (336 pages) - 3.6 ★
35. Once Upon A River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (352 pages)( - 4.4 ★
36. Under An Afghan Sky by Mellissa Fung (331 pages) - 4.4 ★
37. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (200 pages) - 3.7 ★
38. The Sandman Vol 4: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman (192 pages) - 4.2 ★
39. Plainsong by Kent Haruf (301 pages) - 5.0 ★
40. Kindness Goes Unpunished†† by Craig Johnson (336 pages) - 4.5 ★
41. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (271 pages) - 4.5 ★
42. Daughters Who Walk This Path by Yejide Kilanko (329 pages) - 4.5 ★
43. Ashfall by Mike Mullin (463 pages) - 4.7 ★
44. Dissolution by C.J. Sansom (443 pages) - 4.2 ★
45. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray (661 pages) - 5.0 ★
46. Hocus by Jan Burke (449 pages) - 3.3 ★
47. The Plague Court Murders†† by John Dickson Carr (230 pages) - 3.2 ★
48. The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers (307 pages) - 4.0 ★

April

49. The Count of Monte Cristo†† by Alexandre Dumas (1,116 pages) - 4.4 ★
50. Dust And Decay by Jonathan Maberry (520 pages) - 4.5 ★
51. Outlaw by Angus Donald (365 pages) - 4.0 ★
52. Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe by Charlotte Gill (244 pages) - 4.4 ★
53. The Enchanted April†† by Elizbeth von Arnim (232 pages) - 3.3 ★
54. The Walking Dead Vol 15: We Find Ourselves by Robert Kirkland (132 pages) - 4.0 ★
55. Devil-Devil by Graeme Kent (281 pages) - 3.8 ★
56. Zorro by Isabel Allende (390 pages) - 4.5 ★
57. Rules by Cynthia Lord (200 pages) - 4.0 ★
58. Alias Grace†† by Margaret Atwood (560 pages) - 4.1 ★
59. The Sandman Vol 5: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman (192 pages) - 4.5 ★
60. Day By Day Armageddon by J.L. Bourne (200 pages) - 4.3 ★
61. River Secrets†† by Shannon Hale (320 pages) - 3.4 ★
62. Flood by Andrew Vachss (368 pages) - 4.2 ★
63. My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young (384 pages) - 3.4 ★
64. Red Bones by Ann Cleeves (392 pages) - 4.0 ★

BOOKS READ

May

65. American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett (662 pages) - 3.0 ★
66. Sky Burial by Xinran (206 pages) - 4.5 ★
67. The Persian Pickle Club†† by Sandra Dallas (192 pages) - 4.5 ★
68. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch (309Pages) - 4.0 ★
69. The Storm In the Barn by Matt Phelan (201 pages) - 3.3 ★
70. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (205 pages) - 5.0 ★
71. The Red Dahlia by Lynda La Plante (416 pages) - 4.2 ★
72. The Winter Prince by Cheryl Sawyer (377 pages) - 3.3 ★
73. King of the Khyber Rifles†† by Talbot Mundy (245 pages) - 3.8 ★
74. Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne (340 pages) - 5.0 ★
75. The Sandman Vol 6: Fables & Reflections by Neil Gaiman (168 pages) - 4.3 ★
76. The Crime At Black Dudley by Margery Allingham (256 pages) - 4.0 ★
77. The Eleventh Plague†† by Jeff Hirsch (304 pages) - 3.0 ★
78. Butcher's Crossing by John Williams (274 pages) - 4.7 ★
79. Nineteen Seventy Four by David Peace (294 pages) - 2.5 ★
80. The Firemaker by Peter May (403 pages) - 4.5 ★

June

81. Anne of Green Gables†† by L.M. Montgomery (309 pages) - 5.0 ★
82. The Fall by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan (440 pages) - 2.7 ★
83. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (371 pages) - 3.2 ★
84. Shards of Honor†† by Lois McMaster Bujold (239 pages) - 4.1 ★
85. Almost the Truth by Margaret Yorke (294 pages) - 4.0 ★
86. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (416 pages) - 3.1 ★
87. Million Dollar Baby by Amy Patricia Meade (351 pages) - 4.2 ★
88. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark (226 pages) - 4.5 ★
89. A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori (192 pages) - 4.1 ★
90. The Blue Notebook by James Levine (226 pages) - 4.0 ★
91. Rowboat in a Hurricane by Julie Angus (264 pages) - 4.4 ★
92. What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn (242 pages) - 5.0 ★
93. Fer-de-Lance†† by Rex Stout (304 pages) - 3.8 ★
94. Ashes, Ashes†† by Jo Treggiari (340 pages) - 2.0 ★
95. Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins (417 pages) - 3.8 ★

BOOKS READ

July

96. Murder At The Vicarage†† by Agatha Christie (304 pages) - 4.1 ★
97. Book Lust by Nancy Pearl (256 pages) - 4.0 ★
98. Talulla Rising by Glen Duncan (368 pages) - 4.2 ★
99. The Sandman Vol 7: Brief Lives by Neil Gaiman (168 pages) - 5.0 ★
100. Getting Stoned With Savages by J. Maarten Troost (235 pages) - 3.2 ★
101. A Beautiful Place To Die by Malla Nunn (375 pages) - 4.1 ★
102. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster (137 pages) - 3.8 ★
103. Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan by Robin Maxwell (312 pages) - 4.5 ★
104. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (272 pages) - 4.3 ★
105. The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengstsson (475 pages) - 4.7 ★
106. The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh (217 pages) - 3.2 ★
107. Trainspotting†† by Irvine Welsh (340 pages) - 5.0 ★
108. Shadow Patriots by Lucia St Clair Robson (360 pages) - 3.6 ★
109. Walking With Ghosts by John Baker (308 pages) - 4.2 ★
110. The Hours Before Dawn by Celia Fremlin (190 pages - 4.3 ★
111. The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer (307 pages) - 4.1 ★
112. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (309 pages) - 5.0 ★

August

113. The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (278 pages) - 4.5 ★
114. Anne of Avonlea†† by L.M. Montgomery (320 pages) - 4.5 ★
115. The Cleanup by Sean Doolittle (304 pages) - 3.5 ★
116. A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (248 pages) - 3.8 ★
117. The Spy Who Never Was:The Life and Loves of Mata Hari by Julia Keay (209 pages) - 3.6 ★
118. Dragonfly in Amber†† by Diana Gabaldon (752 pages) - 5.0 ★
119. A Thousand Shades of Blue by Robin Stevenson (231 pages) - 3.8 ★
120. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen (395 pages) - 4.5 ★
121. I Am Algonquin by Rick Revelle (260 pages) - 4.0 ★
122. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens (340 pages) - 3.8 ★
123. Jalna†† by Mazo De La Roche (356 pages) - 3.9 ★
124. Henrietta Sees It Through†† by Joyce Dennys (176 pages) - 3.7 ★
125. Sob Story by Carol Anne Davis (254 pages) - 4.0 ★
126. News From Thrush Green by Miss Read (175 pages) - 4.2 ★

BOOKS READ

September

127. The Fear by Charlie Higson (460 pages) - 4.0 ★
128. Indelible by Karin Slaughter (388 pages) - 3.5 ★
129. The Lady of the Decoration†† by Frances Little (256 pages) - 3.8 ★
130. The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (320 pages) - 4.2 ★
131. The Bounty Hunters by Elmore Leonard (324 pages) - 3.6 ★
132. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin (567 pages) - 3.4 ★
133. An Ice Cream War by William Boyd (396 pages) - 5.0 ★
134. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (310 pages) - 4.1 ★
135. The Leopard's Prey by Suzanne Arruda (384 pages) - 3.8 ★
136. Where Earth Meets Sky by Annie Murray (526 pages) - 3.0 ★
137. The Unpleasantness At The Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers (192 pages) - 4.0 ★
138. At The Mercy of the River by Peter Stark (321 pages) - 4.2 ★
139. Laura by Vera Caspary (219 pages) - 4.3 ★
140. Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson (406 pages) - 4.1 ★
141. Anne of the Island†† by L.M. Montgomery (282 pages) - 4.2 ★
142. Number The Stars†† by Lois Lowry (156 pages) - 4.1 ★
143. Outpost†† by Ann Aguirre (336 pages) - 4.0 ★

October

144. Queen Lucia†† by E.F. Benson (188 pages) - 3.9 ★
145. The Trader's Wife†† by Anna Jacobs (336 pages) - 3.8 ★
146. The Inheritors by William Golding (240 pages) - 4.3 ★
147. Mosquito by Roma Tearne (296 pages) - 3.0 ★
148. Flesh Eaters by Joe McKinney (364 pages) - 4.0 ★
149. The Sandman Vol.8: Worlds' End by Neil Gaiman (165 pages) - 4.3 ★
150. The Cleaner by Paul Cleave (384 Pages) - 5.0 ★
151. American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott (353 pages) - 4.2 ★
152. The Sandman Vol 9: The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman(305 pages) - 5.0 ★
153. The Bloody Chamber; And Other Stories by Angela Carter (149 pages) - 4.2 ★
154. Running The Rift by Naomi Benaron (384 pages) - 4.4 ★
155. The Reapers Are The Angels by Alden Bell(225 pages) - 4.5 ★
156. Blackfly Season by Giles Blunt (326 pages) - 3.8 ★
157. Let Him Go by Larry Watson (269 pages) - 5.0 ★

One last illustration by Inga Moore:



My granddaughter and I are currently reading The Secret Garden together, a revisit for me and a new story for her.

Judy, what a lovely new thread you have created! I love all the pictures. And both The Secret Garden and Anne of Avonlea are favorites of mine. Both of them have a lot to do with successfully overcoming adversity.

Looking forward to seeing what else you read :)

Oooh, I love the Sterrett illustration! And The Secret Garden is one of my very favorites, too.

Wonderful illustrations here on your new thread, Judy!

Happy new thread Judy! I love the illustration with the bird. I've always been partial to birds.

Lovely new thread, Judy! I'm another who is a big fan of The Secret Garden. I discovered it when I was twelve, and I have loved it ever since. It's one of those magic books that holds up to rereading it no matter how old one gets. Wishing for you a lazy Saturday.

Fab illustrations. I have to admit that it's only the amazingly excellent ones and the really bad ones that register -- or the line drawings in some of the children's books I own that became so familiar to me through multiple re-readings that they became part of the book's experience. That said, I never register who the artists/illustrators are. Shame on me...

#10 - Hi Roni and welcome to my new thread. My granddaughter came over yesterday afternoon and we read some more of The Secret Garden she seems quite taken with the story which makes me happy. I suspect Anne of Green Gables in her future! :)

#11 - Hi Melissa!

#12: Amber, we had a book of Arabian Tales that my mother used to read to us when we were young and I loved the stories. I doubt if it was the complete book, but I remember a number of the stories and the beautiful illustrations.

#13 - Thanks, Lori.

#14 - I have a thing for birds as well, Carrie. I have been collecting pottery and china birds for years and have quite a collection now.

#15 - I am pretty ignorant about artist/illustartors, Suzanne, for example, it was only when I looked up Florence Sara Winship that I realized that she had illustrated a lot of the books I read as a child. I remember loving the pictures in the books, but it's only as an adult that I have come to appreciate the artistry of these illustrators.

115. The Cleanup by Sean Doolittle - 3.5 ★
13 in 13 Category: Lawrence Block - Male Authors of Crime
TIOLI #4: A Word in the Title Describes Big or Small



The Cleanup by Sean Doolittle was a good solid thriller about corrupted cops, domestic violence and missing mob money that plays out in Omaha, Nebraska,

While the main characters are likeable and there’s plenty of unsavoury villains, overall the characterizations felt a little cookie cutter. The story of good intentions going awry was a little familiar but the author was smart in his choices and didn’t overwrite or moralize.

I did appreciate the fast pacing, the cleverness of the plot and the nuance of humor and I would definitely read another Sean Doolittle thriller in the future.

>17 DeltaQueen50: re Arabian Nights: As far as I understand it, there *is* no complete set of the stories anywhere. I have, though, read all of Burton's translation, and I highly recommend it if you have a free year or so...

#19 - I thought so, I know there is supposed to be 1001 Tales, and I knew the books we had didn't have near that number.

116. A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: Hans Christian Andersen - Fantasy
TIOLI #5: Title Contains At Least Two Sets of Letters That Follow Each Other in the Alphabet



A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz is a clever re-working of several of the Grimm Brothers fairytales. Using Hansel and Gretel as his main characters, he has them wander through their own story and then on into several other Grimm inspired tales. Along the way the reader encounters not only an edible house and a nasty flesh eating witch, but also talking ravens, evil warlocks, and of course, a fierce dragon.

The author hasn’t forgotten the moralistic tone of most fairy tales and as Hansel and Gretel search far and wide for examples of good parents, there are lesson to be learnt. The author writes with wit, humor and adds a good smattering of gore to keep things interesting. But like all fairytales, you can look forward to a “happy ever after“ ending.

I thought this was a very interesting take on today’s sanitized fairy tales as the author harkens back to the days when these stories were told not as bedtime stories to help children sleep, but as life lessons meant to scare children into good behavior. A fun, imaginative read.

Hi, Judy! Just catching up. Lovely new thread!

Stopping by to check out the shiny new thread, so I can find my way back again.

A Tale Dark and Grimm sounds interesting. I've got a soft spot for fairy tale retellings. Off to the TBR list it goes.

Hi Judy - you have a lovely new thread here :-) How great that your granddaughter likes The Secret Garden. It's so nice when we can convert new fans to the classics we liked!

Love the images you've used to open your new thread Judy. Sorry to hear your youngest daughter will also need some operations. It does sound like you and your family are going through it at the moment - keeping you all in my thoughts.

Hi Judy! Beautiful new thread. It must be so nice to she your love of books with your granddaughter, a new generation of LTer's perhaps.

>20 DeltaQueen50:: Well, there were 1001 nights, but the tales aren't that simple - they interweave and are always 'to be continued' at the end of the night (hence the ploy that she can live to see another day and finish the story). And the whole thing started out within an oral tradition, so the individual stories were always changing and evolving, depending on the re-teller... Fascinating, really.

#22: Hi Terri!

#23 - Jennifer, I also have a soft spot for re-worked fairy tales. A Tale Dark and Grimm was a quick light read. I enjoyed the author's cleverness in blending these stories together.

#24 - Susan, I was surprised that she took to The Secret Garden right away. She is usually a fan of more modern books and I was rather expecting her to turn her nose up at this one!

#25 - Thanks for your kind thoughts, Heather. We seem to be in a waiting period right now with both my sister and my daughter. My daughter and her husband have booked at trip to Disney World in September and she was hoping to get the first operation over and done with, but we haven't heard anything yet.

#26 - Lynda, I think we have managed to create two readers with the grandson and granddaughter. They both have books on the go at all times and are encouraged to carry their books with them when they are travelling or going somewhere where they could be bored. I'm looking forward to my Category Challenge next year as my grandson is going to pick all the books for one of my categories. Should be interesting to see what he picks.

#27 - Well, I can see there is a lot more to the Arabian Night Tales then I thought, I was just looking at Wikipedia and was amazed to see how complex, varied and inspirational these folk tales are.

Hi Judy; I've only been on LT sporadically lately, so I've missed a lot of your news. I'm so sorry to hear about your sister and daughter. Wishing them, their families and you the very best.

I also missed a hail of book bullets - but I'm sure I'll pick them up from your lists at the top of your thread. I wonder if my 9 year old would like The Secret Garden? He does seem to be thoroughly into Peter Pan, which I'm reading at bedtimes.

Fingers crossed for your daughter, Judy - and for your sister of course. I just loved all the Anne books when I was little. The Secret Garden I came to via films - of which there have been some excellent versions.

Good moring Nina and Prue, thanks for visiting and for your kind words.

Nina, I think whether your son could get into The Secret Garden would depend on how he feels about (1) a female main character and (2) a book that doesn't contain a great deal of action. I know my grandson wouldn't have gotten into this book, but then he didn't get into any of the classics preferring a more modern story. Age wise, my granddaughter is just about to turn 9, so I think that would be perfect.

117. The Spy Who Never Was: The Life and Loves of Mata Hari by Julia Keay - 3.6 ★
13 in 13 Category: Pierre Burton - Non-Fiction
AlphaCat: H
TIOLI #6: Read A Book About World War I



The Spy Who Never Was: The Life and Loves of Mata Hari by Julia Keay, opens with her execution in October of 1917 and then travels backward to her childhood in Holland where she was born Margarethe Zelle. Married at 18 to a much older man that she had only known for a month and a half, they immediately left Holland for his posting in Java. She was too young to settle down and became restless in the marriage and after the death of their son and their return to Holland, the marriage was over. Her husband took custody of their daughter and divorced her under a morals clause. She then travelled to Paris and reinvented herself as Mata Hari an exotic, sultry dancer from the mysterious Orient.

She was to remain cagy about her origins throughout the remainder of her life. She comes across in the book as an ignorant, greedy, self-indulgent woman who wanted to live the high life and had very little regard for the consequences of her actions. When the war broke out in 1914, she was in Berlin trying to revive her fading career. Her remaining furs and jewels were confiscated and she had a difficult time trying to travel back to France. Unknown to herself, she was a marked woman from the very beginning of the war, as she drew the wrong kind of attention wherever she travelled and had made a lot of enemies over the years. The Germans did make an offer for her to spy for them and paid her 20,000 francs. She took the money but claimed that she never passed any information along, but felt justified in taking the money in compensation for the jewels and furs that they had taken from her.

The truth of the matter appears to be buried in the mists of time. I was left feeling unsure whether I had met the real Mata Hari in the pages of this book as, although the author had lots of information, facts and figures, I never felt she broke through to the real woman behind the façade. Ultimately I believe this woman lost her life due to the fact that she chose to live outside the accepted morals of her time.

>32 DeltaQueen50: That sounds like an interesting book. Her reputation has lasted much longer than she did.

Dear Guru, I do hope things are panning out better for both sister and daughter. Congratulations on your new thread (albeit a bit belatedly) seem somewhat out of place given RL issues of magnitude but I'll send them anyway as every bit of good will helps.

#33 - Hi Carrie, I liked reading about Mata Hari as I really didn't know much about her, but I couldn't help but feel that the author had her own opinion and shaped the book around her theory. I would like to read another book about this interesting person to see what another author would do with the material.

#34 - Paul, lovely to have you visit. Daughter is doing well, sister unfortunately, is having some complications but we are keeping our fingers crossed that these will soon be sorted.

118. Dragonfly in Amber †† by Diana Gabaldon - 5.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Patrick O'Brian - Historical Fiction
Reading Through Time Quarterly Theme: 18th Century
TIOLI #19: A Comfort Read



Dragonfly in Amber is the second book in the Outlander series which tells the story of a young woman who stumbles through a porthole that takes her from 1948 back to the Scottish Highlands of the 1740s. Make no mistake, Dragonfly in Autumn is a historical romance, but be assured that the author has not put the romance ahead of the history. The sheer amount of research that she must have done is simply overwhelming. Chock full of details that range from the political situation, medical treatments, the fashions, foods and amusements of daily life in the 1740’s, nothing is overlooked, bringing this story to vivid life.

The romance angle is rather special as Claire and Jamie, who found each other in the first book, Outlander, now find their love growing as they battle the circumstances that are threatening to tear them apart. One of the most sympathetic and endearing couples I have ever read about, it’s impossible to read these books and not cheer them on through their difficulties.

I first read this book about 20 years ago and have decided to visit this series for a second time. This time I chose to listen to the audio version which is excellently narrated by Davina Porter.. Her performance had a great deal to do with my with my overall enjoyment, and five star rating, of this book. She excelled in mastering the various Scottish, French and English accents, and nailed the various character, in particular Claire, perfectly.

I have the audio version of the next book and am looking forward to setting some time aside to once again follow the fortunes of Claire and Jamie.

I made it through the first four books in the Outlander series, but grew tired of the series and never continued with it.... probably because I came to the series late and read the books back to back. Audio sounds like a great way to enjoy the series, so I have made a note of the narrator Davina Porter.

Lori, I think that is exactly what I did with this series as well - Read the first four books and then they disappeared off my radar. I decided to re-read them from the beginning and see if I can make it further this time.

I have just started listening to Outlander, the first book! I wasn't aware it was a series. And I bet they're all just as long as this first one. :)

You're right Melissa, they are real chunksters. Dragonfly in Amber was almost 40 hours of listening. The actual book is 752 pages.

I have started the thread for September Series and Sequels, if anyone wants to get a head start on their planning, here's the link:

September Series & Sequels

119. A Thousand Shades of Blue by Robin Stevenson - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: J.M. Barrie - YA and Children's Literature
Commonwealth Tour: The Bahamas
TIOLI #5: Tltle Contains at Least Two Sets of Letter That Follow Each Other In the Alphabet



A Thousand Shades of Blue refers to the many and varied hues of the ocean in and around the Bahama Islands. In this idyllic setting the author, Robin Stevenson tells the story of Rachel, a sixteen year old girl who is trapped on a sailboat with her dysfunctional family for a year of extended “family time”. Things haven’t been going smoothly for her family and Rachel is both resentful and angry at being pulled away from her home, school and friends while her parents try to patch things together.

Beneath Rachel’s anger there is also fear and uncertainly. She harbours secrets and memories that she is afraid to discuss hoping that by ignoring her problems they will vanish. The author does an excellent job of portraying this fragile family on the verge of disintegrating.

I loved the setting of the Bahamas and the vivid pictures the author made of sand, sea and sky. I wish there had been more time taken to develop this part of the story, but overall this tale of a family breakdown rang true. I found A Thousand Shades of Blue to be a engaging story and I appreciated that, even though this is a YA book, there was no simple answer or pat ending.

Judy I am looking forward to September Series and Sequels and I can't wait for you to start Rivers of London

Hi Roberta, I am looking forward to The Rivers of London having heard so many good things about it. I just finished another book that I think was a big favorite of yours - review follows! :)

120. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen - 4.5 ★
13 in 13 Category: Henning Mankell - Global Crime (Denmark)
TIOLI #15: A Book With Murder At It's Heart



The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen interested me right from the start, the author allows the story to build slowly but as the tension mounts I found the pages turning faster and faster. This is an excellent thriller with dark undertones, a combination of painstaking detective work alongside a ticking clock as the readers become aware that there is a definite timeline at work here.

Merete Lynngaard is a well known political figure in Denmark and her disappearance in 2002 was a huge story. But by 2007 when this case becomes the first cold case to be investigated by the newly formed Q Department,, it had quietly faded. Detective Carl Morck was positive she was long dead, probably a suicide. As the pieces are slowly put together, a truly horrifying picture emerges and soon Morck and his assistant, Assad, are in a race against time.

The author has delivered a top-notch, original story and peopled it with vivid characters. Both the damaged Carl Morck and his mysterious assistant Assad have a lot more to reveal and, with the quality of this story to go by, I can see that this is a series I will enjoy following.

Nice review, Judy. I liked Keeper of Lost Causes a lot, too, and I've got the second Dept. Q mystery up next for reading.

Very nice review, Judy. I loved that one, too. And I predict that you will love Rivers of London. I just finished the second book in that series, and it was even better than the first one, I thought. SO fun!

>36 DeltaQueen50:, We've got Dragonfly in Amber at work, so one day I hope I can get around to reading it one day, since it's been getting such good reviews from LT threads.

Nice review of Keeper of Lost Causes, Judy. I liked it a lot, too. The second one, not so much but the third one was another winner.

Hi, Judy ~ Just stopped by to see what you are up to, and I love the images you posted from the children's books. I remember all of them and remember loving them too when I was a kid, especially the one by Blanche Fisher Wright. I may actually have the book that one is from around somewhere in one of the boxes I just moved and am going through. Maybe it will turn up (I hope)!

Whew, I've been running my grandkids around to various activities today. One to golf lessons, another to riding lessons, then picking everyone up. Trying to fit grocery shopping in between. Now I am enjoying a cup of coffee and some time to myself on the computer.

#46 - Hi Joe, I hope to get to the second Department Q book before too long.

#47 - I am really looking forward to starting that series by Ben Aaronovich, Mamie. I will probably kick off September with it.

#48 - Jennifer, have you read the first book in the series - Outlander. You probably should start there and although these books are all huge, they do read very quickly.

#49 - Beth, I've seen where others haven't been quite as wild about book #2 as they were with book #1. I will just be happy to learn more about Carl and Assad.

#50 - Hi Mary, good luck with all the unpacking that you have to do. Those illustrations really brought some memories back for me too!

Hello Judy - do hope your sister is coping; she certainly seems to have lots of support from you and yours. Great review of the Scandi-crime - nothing beats a bit of chilly winter wording!

>51 DeltaQueen50:, That would be smart wouldn't it? Outlander it is then. We've got all but the most recent book at work. One of our librarians donated the set when she retired -- she didn't want to haul them from Texas to Virginia.

Hi Judy- Good review of The Keeper of Lost Causes. This is such a good series. One of my favorite Scandi-Crime writers. I hope to knock out book 3 next month.

YAY! Judy finally got on board with the Dept Q. This guy sure knows how to weave a story. The more you get to know Carl, the more you will love him.

#52 - Hi Prue, my sister is amazing. She's outwardly appearing very upbeat and strong. She's spent the last week or so in the hospital as she is having problems with her kidneys, they've had to attached some kind of tubes through her back. Then she developed a blood clot and now she has to inject herself with blood thiners to keep that in control. She's under gone her first chemo treatment. They've sent her home for now with visiting home care for help with changing the dressings on her back.

My husband and I are going to be going away next week on a road trip out to Saskatchewan where he grew up. I was very hesitant about being away right now with so much going on but have been urged by all family members to go. I hope to get back over to Victoria later on in September.

#53 - I hope you enjoy the series, Jennifer.

#54 - Hi Mark, another great series discovered here on LT. I remember when VanDeb first gave a rave review to The Keeper of Lost Causes which landed it firmly on my wishlist. Now I am eager to pass this one along to other family members and get them hooked as well.

121. I Am Algonquin by Rick Revelle - 4.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Edgar Rice Burroughs - Adventure
Early Reading Program
TIOLI #8: Author's Name Is Also a Verb



I found I Am Algonquin by Rick Revelle to be a fascinating look at the life style of the Algonquin Indians during the 14th century. The story follows a war leader called Mahingan and his small tribe as they hunt game, meet and make peace with their allies of the Nippissing and Huron nations, and battle their fiercest enemies, the Iroquois.

Told in a straight forward, factual style the reader gathers a lot of information about this tribe whose territory consisted of large parts of the eastern woodlands that today make up Ontario and Quebec. Unlike the Iroquois who lived in large towns and raised crops, the Algonquin were nomadic and most of their time was taken up in hunting and gathering supplies for the winter. But their strong family bonds come across during the telling of the story, and they did take time out for enjoyment and laughter.

I was a little disappointed with the abrupt ending of the book as it left the reader hanging, but I suspect the author plans on writing further books about this warrior and his family. I Am Algonquin is a YA historical fiction story that I think would appeal to anyone who is interested in the North American history.

122. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: Kate Atkinson - Women Authors of Crime
August AwardCat: Best First Novel, 2011 Thriller Award
TIOLI #5: Title Contains 2 Sets of At Least Two Letters That Follow Each Other In the Alphabet



Still Missing by Chevy Steven tells the story of Annie O’Sullivan, a Vancouver Island realtor who is abducted during a routine Sunday open house. The man who takes Annie drugs her and when she wakes up she spends a year in nightmare captivity.

Her story unfolds during the course of her sessions with a psychiatrist and not only her story of abduction is discussed. Unable to feel safe, Annie needs to work through her anger, belligerence, and alienation from others. But then things start to happen, a break-in at her home, a man in a van trying to grab her from the street. Is it starting all over again? What is behind Annie’s ordeal?

The pages were flying past as I absorbed the story of both her agony with the stranger and her difficult homecoming. I did at times find the plot rather unbelievable, but that is often the case in thrillers where the action and events are bigger than life. So I shelved my feelings of disbelief and settled down to enjoy the ride provided by this top notch thriller.

123. Jalna†† by Mazo De La Roche - 3.9 ★
13 in 13 Category: Dora Saint - Reader's Choice
August RandomCat: Families Matter
TIOLI #13: Dedicated to One or Both Parents



Jalna is the first book that author Mazo De La Roche wrote in her series about the Whiteoaks, a Canadian family who live in Southern Ontario. Set in the years between the two great wars, this book introduces the family and follows the drama of two new brides that are brought home to Jalna.

Chronologically, Jalna would be the seventh in the series and although this book gives one a good feel of what the series is about, I do think it would be better to read the series in the chronological order. One of the most interesting characters was the matriarch of the family whom we see turn 100 in Jalna. I am looking forward to reading of her early years when she and her husband first came to Canada and built the house.

The series consists of some 16 books and covers the time period of 1853 to 1953. I am looking forward to reading about Canada during these years, and about this feisty family with their tensions, squabbles, drama and love which the author delivers with equal amounts of humor and pathos. Once one has sat around the dinner table with this family and their various pets, it would be hard not to want to continue on.

124. Henrietta Sees It Through†† by Joyce Dennys - 3.7 ★
13 in 13 Category: Patrick O'Brian - Historical Fiction
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Communication
August AlphaCat: H
TIOLI #5: Title Contains At Least Two Sets of Letters That Follow Each Other in the Alphabet



Henrietta Sees It Through by Joyce Dennys is the sequel to Henrietta’s War, and written in the same epistolary style, picks up right where the other book left off. This volume covers the years of 1942 through to the war’s end. Both these books were complied from magazine articles the author wrote for Sketch Magazine during the war.

Henrietta is writing to her childhood friend, Robert, who is away fighting the war, She keeps the letters light in tone and includes many humorous moments that occur in the rural village that she lives in. There are some truly touching moments as well, but her obvious motive is to keep up a cheerful face in spite of the rationing, shortages and fear that are a part of British daily life in these years.

Peopled with the same eccentric characters that were introduced in the first book, I found the stories becoming a little repetitious in nature, but overall this is a delightful addition to the first book. The author enhances the pages with her line drawings that help to bring the characters to life. A quick and enjoyable read.

Oooh - I have ordered Henrietta's War - might stop there, I think! Goodness but your sister's strength is being tested. She sounds amazing. And you absolutely must go on your trip. One thing I learned through caring for my mum is that it's folk around the patient that burn-out first. You will be better able to support your sister in the long term by keeping yourself physically and emotionally replenished.

Thanks, Prue. And yes, Henrietta's War is delightful and well worth a read, but the next book was really just more of the same. Still delightful, but just a tiny bit monotonous.

125. Sob Story by Carol Anne Davis - 4.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Kate Atkinson - Women Authors of Crime
TIOLI #1: Title end with the letter Y



Sob Story by Carol Anne Davis was both a dark and disturbing thriller that I found quite riveting. Not a perfect read, there were some flaws, but over all I was quite impressed and would definitely read another book by this author.

Amy is a shy, socially inept young woman who is away from home attending university. As many of her problems stem from her being on the verge of anorexia, she avoids any social gathering where food is being served. Being lonely, she jumps at the chance to become pen-pals with a young man who is serving a prison term, she doesn’t even take the time to consider that a seven year prison term for a act of violence against a woman is quite serious and could have repercussions. Of course Jeff, the prisoner, is writing to Amy and telling her exactly what she wants to hear, all the while making plans to visit her upon his upcoming release.

The author imparts a fair amount of information about eating disorders and at times this abundant information causes the story to bog down, but it does help the reader to understand Amy and her motives. In the same way, we learn a great deal about the prison system and Jeff‘s background which also helps to explain his deviant behaviour. In the end this book was not the action packed read I thought is going to be but it was a convincingly creepy psychological thriller that I found quite gripping.

Oh, I read a whole bunch of the Jalna books back in my 20s, Judy! Phoebe was my favorite character, as I recall.

Hi Roni, I haven't met Phoebe yet, she's either from one of the earlier books or perhaps a later one. Either way, I'm looking forward to meeting her!

126. News From Thrush Green by Miss Read (Dora Saint) - 4.2 ★
13 in 13 Category: Dora Saint - Reader's Choice
TIOLI #7: Author's Name is Also a Verb



Set in the 1960‘s, News From Thrush Green takes the reader to a lovely small village in the Cotswolds and there we observe the passing the year and the activities of the residents. All the familiar characters from the first two books are there, but we can see that time is catching up with frail Doctor Bailey and the elderly, cantankerous handyman, Albert Piggott. The empty house called Tullivers has been fixed up and the village welcomes a new resident, a young woman and her small son. Of course village gossip runs wild as to why there is no apparent husband in residence.

Miss Read, herself was a country woman and enjoyed the passing of the seasons. In News From Thrush Green we are carried from early September through to the following May, and she provides her readers with many picturesque passages that illuminate rural life. These beautiful descriptions combined with a lively story of village life are what make these book perennial favourites of mine.

When I am in the mood for a bit of nostalgia I like to turn to these gentle, charming books.

Miss Read's books sound like they are just the thing for comfort reading. I keep meaning to try one. Thanks, your review is a good reminder. Can I just jump in anywhere in the series or should they be read in order?

Vivienne, I read Miss Read's books years ago by series and in order. I started with the Fairacre series and then proceeded to the Thrush Green series. Then I read any strays. I think I'd recommend reading them in order.

Hi, Judy! I had never heard of Sob Story. That sounds like something I'd like when in the mood for a thriller.

Hubby and I are on the road travelling to Saskatchewan. Tonight we are in the town of Kelowna and have just returned from a wonderful Italian dinner. I am stuffed!

#67 - Vivienne, I agree with Lori. I think you'd get the best enjoyment out of Miss Read's books by reading them in order.

#69 - Hi Terri, it was pretty good and best of all, it is one of those rare finds - an actual "stand-alone".

Have a great trip to Saskatchewan Judy. I don't know why but the placename always puts me in mind of big feet.

Spent a little time this morning lining up 20 possibles for series and sequels for this next month.

Tomorrow is September 1st! I got so carried away getting started on September S&S that I listened to the first book on my list already. LOL No worries though, its the first in a series (of course) and I have the other two so I'll bookhorn the second one in towards the end of the month. I took a week off mid September so I plan on getting much reading done.

Series and Sequels September! It had slipped my mind, but I should be okay since most of what I'm reading these days are parts of series.

Have a lovely weekend, Judy! (Paul, maybe because Saskatchewan sounds sort of like Sasquatch = Big Foot?)

Judy, I hope you and hubby have a relaxing trip to Sasquatch country. See how rumors get started? It will be good for you to get away for awhile. In the meantime, I hope both your daughter and sister are doing well.

Oh...I plan to read Remarkable Creatures with you as a shared read on TIOLI. I've been waiting for an excuse to read it!

Judy> I posted a question regarding your TIOLI challenge on the TIOLI thread. Just giving you a heads-up so you can tell me if my book fits or not.

Sorry I have been neglecting my thread. First we had no wifi access for a couple of days and then I went right to the TIOLI Challenges and the September Series and Sequels thread.

This evening we are in Southern Alberta and tomorrow will be heading across the border to Montana, We were really looking forward to a scenic drive through Glacier Nat. Park but the forecast looks to be calling for rain. :(

Sorry the weather's not cooperating. Safe travels, Judy!

Hi Terri, actually my pouting was for naught as the day turned out to be bright and sunny. We had a lovely drive through the park. The bad weather caught up with us the next day as thunder storms came in over Spokane. Our drive today was mixed, we had some thunder and lightning, some rain and also some sun. Since I managed to pick up a cold along the way, we decided to push on through and came home a day early. Tonight I get to sleep in my own bed!

127. The Fear by Charlie Higson - 4.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: H.P. Lovecraft - Dark Fantasy
TIOLI #10: A Book You've Had Since 2012 and Starts or Continues A Series
September Series & Sequels



This YA series by Charlie Higson is one of my favorites for sheer escapism and fun. The Fear is the third in his series that features rotting, diseased people who, like zombies, want to feast on the flesh of the living. In this case the flesh of children as everyone over the age of fifteen caught this strange disease that either killed outright or left the patient as a zombie-like creature.

Each book has dealt with a different band of children as they come together and fight for survival in the streets of London. By this, the third book, we have a groups of children scattered throughout some very interesting places in London. From Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London, each enclave has it’s own leader and each group feels that they are the ones who should have the most power. What they are slow to see is that the diseased are slowly evolving and although they still crave flesh, they appear to be getting smarter, stronger and faster.

A word of warning, each book has some extremely graphic, grisly moments and the author shows no compassion toward his main characters, as he randomly kills off some and saves others. I rather like this crap shoot atmosphere as it lends a quality of realness to the story. The Fear, like all the other books in this series, has plenty of blood-stained action and likeable although not necessarily long-lived characters.

For those who enjoy zombie stories, I would recommend this series starting with The Enemy as an stimulating variation.

Have a good break dear Guru and a lovely weekend

I hope the weather improves so that you can relish the views and the clear mountain air -- some spectacular sights in that neck of the woods!!

ETA: Did you manage to visit Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump??

#80 - Thanks, Paul. I expect to be spending a great deal of time this weekend on catching up here with, naturally, some time left over for reading!

#81 - Hi Suzanne, I have been to Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump a couple of times, but we gave it a miss on this trip. It's a wonderful place to visit and is set up in such a way that it makes the history come alive.

For anyone who hasn't heard of this place, it is a museum and natural site located in Southern Alberta and is one of the places that the Indians were able to herd the buffalo and run them over a cliff. As the Plains Indian relied on the buffalo for just about everything, this way of hunting ensured their survival over the harsh winter months.

Here is a picture of the cliff that was used:



And this is a replica that is on display in the museum:

128. Indelible by Karin Slaughter - 3.5 ★
13 in 13 Category: Kate Atkinson - Women Authors of Crime
September Series & Sequels
September AlphaCat: I
TIOLI #10: A Book I Have Had Since 2012 and Starts or Continues A Series



I admit to having mixed feelings about Indelible by Karin Slaughter. This is the fourth book in her Grant County series and this one delves into both Jeffrey’s past and the beginning stages of Sara and Jeffrey’s relationship. The story jumps back in forth from a present day hostage situation to the past. My main quibble is that it seems this author cannot help but give her characters rather sordid pasts. I found it difficult to believe that Sara, with her own difficult memories, would have stood by and accepted Jeffrey’s antics. Overall I felt the part of the book that was set in Jeffrey’s home town felt forced and the story didn’t seem to flow naturally,

Of course, that difficult past of Jeffrey’s was brought home to roost in the part of the book that was set in the present and I thought the whole hostage situation was well done, and suspenseful.

After now having read four books in this series I will definitely continue on with the series as I do, on the most part, want to see what these characters get up to.

129. The Lady of the Decoration†† by Frances Little - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: Xinran - Global Reading (Japan)
TIOLI #1: Type of Apple Variety In the Title



I was pleasantly surprised by The Lady of the Decoration by Frances Little. I didn’t have very high expectations for this book, which I purchased mainly as it completed a year in my Century of Reading List.

This is the story of a young American widow who goes to Japan in 1901 to teach kindergarten under the auspices of a missionary society. Told in the form of letters written to her cousin, the story is interesting, informative, and although slightly dated with a few racial references, her descriptions of Japan and the Japanese people were interesting and insightful.. Through her letters a picture of young woman who made a few wrong choices, including that of her deceased husband, comes to life. Not trusting herself to choose the right path for herself, she signed a contract to teach in Japan for five years.

She was in Japan for the build up to and the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904. The Lady of the Decoration was published in 1906, but her comments about the Japanese people and their blind faith in their emperor along with the soldiers robot-like manner and their dedication to fighting to the death gives one a glance of the future Japan of the 1940’s.

A refreshing and engaging story both of a young woman finding herself and a country that is just beginning to emerge as a power in Asia.

I've read one or two of Slaughter's books, but I don't think that is one of them. I remember liking the one or two that I've read so I'm not sure why I haven't kept up (except for that "so many books, so little time" excuse).

I think we all know that "too many books, not enough time" feeling, Lori. This is a series that I will continue but won't be a high priority.

I'm glad you were able to get on home and hope you are feeling better soon!

Hope you are feeling better, Judy!

Judy- Hope you had a nice weekend and are shaking that cold. I'll see you over at the S & S thread. I am starting my third book.

Thanks for dropping by Roni, Katie and Mark.

I have been lying low today trying to shake my cold and also because I couldn't stop reading The Rivers of London. I am feeling better, but I'm still coughing and sounding like a barking seal. I have an eye doctor appointment on Wednesday and will have to decide tomorrow whether I can go.

I have just completed my third book for September Series and Sequels as well, and will probably be starting my fourth tomorrow.

130. The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - 4.2 ★
13 in 13 Category: Hans Christian Andersen - Fantasy
TIOLI #10: A Book I Have Had Since 2012 that Starts or Continues A Series
September Series & Sequels



The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch is a fun mix of fantasy, police procedural and historical fiction and as these are three of my favorite genres you can be sure that I loved this book. A light read that surprises the reader at every turn of the page with magical encounters, a ghost or two, and a dysfunctional family of mythical deities. The main character, P.C. Peter Grant is likeable and, considering the subject matter, quite believable. The supporting characters are fantastic, and I can’t wait to read more about them, including Toby the dog.

The star player, however, is the City of London, as this urban fantasy travels around that great city the author makes great use of many well-known locations. The original title of The Rivers of London should never have been changed for the North American market to Midnight Riot, as the many rivers of London play a key role in this story.

Peter’s take on magic, his apprenticeship to the suave wizard, Nightingale, and his awkward efforts at romance kept this book fresh, original and endearing. I have made a new friend in Peter Grant and I look forward to spending more time with him in future books.

I'm glad to see another positive review for RoL, Judy! I bought that one on my recent trip :-)

So glad you liked the Aaronovitch book. The whole series is delightful, in my opinion.

The cover of I Am Algonquin is stunning! But it doesn't sound like I would love it, so it didn't go on my overburdened wish list.

I've seen several reviews of Karin Slaughter books lately. Not sure why I haven't read of any her books yet... they seem like books I would like.

Yes, I'm definitely going to have to get Rivers of London after yours and others' good reviews.

We are having just beautiful weather here right now, I had to take myself out for a walk this morning. I have heard, however, that it is about to turn quite hot over the next couple of days with temps. up in the 30's.

#93 - It's a light and fun read, Katie. I'm looking forward to continuing on with this series.

#94 - Julia, I have a feeling that my next book purchases will include Moon Over Soho which is book number 2, I believe.

#95 - It is a beautiful book, Carol, but I think I might be in the minority in how much I liked it. I had a few quibbles with it, but I think my review is one of the more favorable ones.

#97 - Hi Mary, I was hesitant about picking RoL up as I really don't need another series, but I am glad I did, these will be perfect books to slip between some of the heavier reads.

131. The Bounty Hunters by Elmore Leonard - 3.6 ★
13 in 13 Category: Edgar Rice Burroughs - Adventure
TIOLI #1: Type of Apple Variety in the Book's Title



The Bounty Hunters is the first published novel by Elmore Leonard, one of my favoritie authors of westerns. It is apparent immediately that this author can really spin a tale, and although I would say this one is not one of his best, it definitely shows the potential of the talent that he was eventually to showcase.

The Bounty Hunters was somewhat muddied by too many bad guys, at times it was hard to keep them all straight. In fact, even the main characters had to stop and try to figure our which group were the biggest threat. That said, there was plenty of action, from fighting bounty hunters, evading Apaches, or facing down a vindictive killer.

Over the years the author learned to pare down his storyline and present well drawn, conflicted characters. The main character in The Bounty Hunters, Dave Flynn, is pretty much a straight shooting hero that gets the job done. Still, The Bounty Hunters had enough grit and western flavor to keep the pages turning.

I've always wanted to read more western books. I'll try to keep that author in mind. Otherwise, I'm just stopping by to say hi. It looks like your reading is treating you well :)

It looks like you had a lot of fun on your trip. I'll have to keep my eyes out for Rivers of London, it sounds really interesting.

I have given myself permission to read nothing but light fluff this year. Too much heavy stuff going down in real life; Rivers of London and the John Ceepak mysteries and other fun light books are just about all I'm good for.

I am about to start book #3 in that Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, Judy, and agree it's a great find. The audiobooks are FABULOUS, if you are that way inclined.

#99 - Hi Melissa, if you are thinking of an Elmore Leonard western, I would advise starting with Hombre rather than The Bounty Hunters.

#100 - Rivers of London is a fun book and a little different from some of the other light books that are out there.

#101 - I love the light, fun stuff and use them to sandwich between the heavier reads, although I have to keep a watch out that I don't overdo the light stuff!

#102 - Hi Suz, I have a mixed track record with audios, some I have loved and some I couldn't stay awake to listen to. Probably that has a lot to do with the reader, that's why I love getting recommendations here as which ones are good. I'll have to give one of Ben Aaronovitch's a try in audio.

Judy- The Rivers of London books are really hot right now on LT! Glad you liked the first book, so did I. I think I will start Moon Over Soho, as soon as I finish my 2nd Three Pines book.
I have never read Leonard's westerns. I'll have to sample them at some point.

Hi Mark, you're doing better than I at keeping up with the series, I need to get back to Three Pines, so far I only have the first book under my belt. I also need to go back and visit Dr. Siri!

Judy I am thrilled that you loved ROL. It was one of my favorite reads of the summer. I love Peter Grant and agree with you that he is believable. This series has made my summer reading fun. I listened to the books and the narrator is so spot on perfect.

Glad to hear you are feeling better.

Hi Roberta, yes, another series that I loved and now have to keep reading! I hope I can get to the next one before year end.

132. Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin - 3.4 ★
13 in 13 Category: George Orwell - Dystopia
September Series & Sequels
TIOLI #9: Read a Book by a LT Author



Even though I absolutely loved the first book in the trilogy, this second book, Ashen Winter by Mike Mullen, just didn’t quite work for me. I found that the book consisted of a series of action sequences with very little plot or character development. I am hoping for more from the third entry.

In this volume, Alex and Darla leave the relative safety of his uncles’ farm in order to try and find Alex’s parents. Unfortunately, things are pretty hairy out in the real world and the two young people get involved in a battle between a rural town and a party of cannibalistic bandits called Peckerwoods. During the battle, Darla gets wounded and falls into the enemies hands. The rest of the book consists of Alex trying to get Darla back, and even his finding and rescuing his parents is secondary to his quest to save Darla.

There were a few good things about this book, first off it is still a real page turner, with the characters getting into trouble at the end of just about every chapter, there is plenty of motivation to keep turning those pages. I also appreciate the depth of maturity and the reliability of Alex and Darla’s relationship. These two are committed to each other and after what they have lived through this makes sense. I am hoping that the third volume will advance this story and offer some hope for the future of these young people.

Judy, I just left a response on the Series & Sequels thread about 'Ashen Winter', but basically I agree with you that it falls short of the first book. Too bad.

Judy, just read your very pretty and most interesting thread. RL has been keeping me busy and cutting into both reading and LT time.

My very best wishes for your family's improved health.

Reading your rewiews is both enlightening and tempting.

133. An Ice Cream War by William Boyd - 5.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Graham Greene - Authors I am Curious About Trying
September AwardCat: 1982 Short List for Man-Booker Award
September AlphaCat: I
TIOLI #16: Set in a British Commonwealth Country Before 1950



This was my first book by William Boyd and it has immediately won him a place on my favorite author’s list. An Ice Cream War is a beautifully written story that delves into a corner of World War I of which very little has been written. Set in Tanzania, Kenya and England, the story follows a number of people of various nationalities whose lives are impacted by the war and who, during the course of the book, come to share unique connections with each other.

I found this a wonderfully readable story, both dark and humorous at times. The portions of the book that were set in England introduced one of the most dysfunctional families I have read about in some time. The American and German were both farmers and neighbours that were destined to end up on opposite sides, but they also shared in the stifled coldness of their marriages. One had a wife who never raised her head out of a book, while the other escaped both literally and mentally to her home in Germany. So many excellent characters were scattered throughout this book, including the unforgettable Wheech-Browning, a upper class British dolt whose appearance always brought disaster to someone.

An Ice Cream War is an excellent mix of satire, humor, pathos and great story telling. Both the multiple plot lines and the well developed characters made this a five star read for me. I am so glad that I have finally picked up a book by this author and I look forward to discovering more of his works.

Judy - Great idea to read an Elmore Leonard this month following his recent passing. I may try to do so too.
Glad also that you loved An Ice Cream War. A favourite of mine too and one which, if I'm not mistaken I introduced to Megan last year.

Have a lovely weekend.

I've read some of Boyd's later work and enjoyed it, and need to go back to some of the earlier novels, this included. I think I have Brazzaville Beach teed up on my Kindle somewhere.

#112 - HI Paul, Elmore Leonard has long been a favorite of mine although I have read more of his westerns than his crime novels. And now, with William Boyd, I have a new author to follow with a fair amount of books to discover!

#113 - Suzanne, Brazzaville Beach is the one that I would tackle next, again set in Africa but this one has monkeys!!

134. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier - 4.1 ★
13 in 13 Category: Patrick O'Brian - Historical Fiction
September RandomCat: An example of Lablit
TIOLI #16: Set in the British Commonwealth Before 1950



Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier is aptly named both because of the two interesting women it is about and because of the fossils they discovered that were to change the way science looked at the past. That these two met and become friends is remarkable, even though there was some twenty years of age difference between them, their strong interest in the remains of long dead creatures drew them together.

Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot both were living in Lyme Regis and both were avid fossil hunters, scouring the beaches and cliffs in the area for specimens. The Annings were a poor family and enhanced their income by selling the curiosities that they found. Elizabeth Philpot was spinster and an avid collector, and possibly would have been a natural scientist is she hadn’t been bound by Victorian society’s conventions as to how a woman should conduct her life.

The author takes this real life situation and breathes life into two long forgotten characters. By telling their story, she also shines a light on the religious and political views of the day. These characters come up against prejudices about class and gender time and time again. I thought Elizabeth and Mary practically jumped off the pages, very real and fully formed. The downside is that in writing of real people and their lives, there was perhaps not as much excitement and romance as could have been added to a novel with imagined characters. But overall, I found Remarkable Creatures a well-written account of the lives of two very intriguing women.

135. The Leopard's Prey by Suzanne Arruda - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: Ariana Franklin - Historical Mystery
Henning Mankell - Global Mystery
September Series & Sequels
TIOLI #10 - A Book I've Had Since 2012 that Continues or Starts a Series



The Leopard’s Prey by Suzanne Arruda is the fourth Jade Del Cameron mystery. The series is set in British East Africa (Kenya) in the early 1920’s. Jade is an American who grew up on a ranch in New Mexico and chose to drive ambulances in France during the war. She craves adventure and is very capable of looking after herself. She is now based in Nairobi working as a photographer and travel writer. Of course, what seems to occupy most of her time is solving murders.

I had put this series on the back burner for a couple of reasons, I didn’t care for the way each plot was relying upon African myth and magic. One book of this was fine, but after three books, I was ready for a break. My other minor objection was the character of Jade. She is described as beautiful, accomplished, and efficient. And she is all of that, what I find lacking is humor and humility. She is a little too perfect, I would like to see some human flaws addressed that would make her seem more like a real person.

I am happy to say that my first quibble was addressed in this book. The Leopard’s Prey was a straight forward mystery with very little mumbo-jumbo involved. As for Jade, well she is still as perfect as always, so I still haven’t warmed to her. Luckily, the author surrounds her main character with a number of well rounded supporting characters. At the end of this book, there was distinct crack in Jade’s iron-clad competentance and she actually had to call for help. As there are still a couple more books in this series, I have a tiny hope that Jade Del Cameron will show a softer, more human side. Also the author left a piece of the plot hanging at the end so I need to read on to find out what happens next.

Lots of good reading here! Glad to hear The Rivers of London is good--I'm eager to get to my copy. I've had The Icecream War teetering on the edlge of my wishlist, but your comments tipped it over (thanks). And finally, yay! for another fan of Remarkable Creatures. I enjoyed that one a lot too.

Ditto re Remarkable Creatures, Judy. Great book.

I had a good time with Rivers of London, too.

>115 DeltaQueen50:: Judy, I am looking forward to reading Remarkable Creatures this month. I like that it is a true story. As is the Ice Cream War, another book that I've been meaning to read for a long time. Your thread is quickly becoming dangerous territory for me!

Loved your review of An Ice Cream War, Judy. I have that one in my TBR Tower so maybe I'll move it up a rung or two and see if I can get to it before the year ends.

I had put off reading Remarkable Creatures for quite a long time, not sure why, but I didn't think I would enjoy it much. Silly thing! I loved it! I should have known that since I liked everything else Chevalier had written, I will like this one too. It was a fascinating study albeit a little fictitious, of 2 remarkable women of the time.

#117 - Hi Joyce, Rivers of London was a fun read, and Ice Cream War really hit the right note with me.

#118 - Joe, Remarkable Creatures was my first Tracy Chevalier, so I will have to track down some more by her.

#119 - Hi Donna, I'm always happy to be handing out book bullets since I take so many myself in my wanderings around LT!

#120 - Hi Caro, and thanks. Remarkable Creatures was on and off my wish list a few times as well, I am glad that a challenge to read a Lab Lit book encouraged me finally pick it up and read it!

136. Where Earth Meets Sky by Annie Murray - 3.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Patrick O'Brian - Historical Fiction
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Edwardian Time Period
TIOLI #16: Set in a British Commonwealth Country Before 1950



Where Earth Meets Sky by Annie Murray is a sweeping epic that encompasses Edwardian England and the British Raj. Lily Waters is a young woman who is left alone and destitute after her guardian dies. She obtains a position as a Nanny for the Fairford family and travels to the military post of Ambala to take up her duties in 1902. While working for the Fairfords she meets an falls in love with Sam Ironside, a motor mechanic. Unfortunately, he forgets to tell her that he has a wife back in England. She sends Sam away and tries to carry on with her life, but Sam is the man she is destined never to forget.

Although I enjoyed the setting of this book, the story of Lily deteriorated into a story of a woman who was so beautiful that men couldn’t resist her. Where ever she went or who ever she worked for, sooner or later the man of the house was begging her to become his mistress. Eventually she gives in, but she never forgets her first love, Sam.

I enjoyed the descriptions of India, but the story just didn’t hold my interest at all.

Judy- I am really enjoying Moon Over Soho. This is such a fun series and I managed to snag the next 2 audios too. Go Mark! I NEED to get back to Mr. Boyd. Hope the week is going well.

Judy, it's too bad that one didn't hit the spot. Hope your next book is a winner!

Hi Judy - Lots of good reading here. Remarkable Creatures and Ice Cream War are now on my list. I've seen the Arruda books and never picked them up. I think I'm safe to avoid this particular series.

#123 - Hi Mark, Ben Aaronovitch is writing a great series. I am looking forward to getting to his next one.

#124 - Julia, I picked up a guaranteed pleaser with a Dorothy Sayers mystery, I am alreadys ready to read about Lord Peter Wimsey!

#125 - Beth, you picked a couple of winners with Remarkable Creatures and An ice Cream War, and yes, the Suzanne Arruda series is an easy miss.

137. The Unpleasantness At The Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers - 4.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Classic Crime
September Series & Sequels
TIOLI #12: First Published Before 1950



The Unpleasantness At The Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers was both an engaging and intriguing read. The unpleasantness in the title refers to the discovery of the body of ninety-year-old General Fentiman sitting in a chair in this gentleman’s club. Luckily Lord Peter Wimsey is also a member and he is on hand to investigate.

This is a very layered mystery, at first the goal is simply to ascertain the time of death, as the inheritance of over a half-million pounds relies on knowing this important fact. But as the investigation gathers momentum it is soon clear that some very nasty business has taken place and it is up to Lord Peter to discover and reveal the truth.

This was one of my favorite Dorothy Sayers, both entertaining and humorous with a fascinating plot. It was interesting to see how the solution was arrived at in this time before detailed forensics and scientific analysis had advanced beyond the mere basics.

I get a kick out of a murder victim in a chair constituting "unpleasantness" at the club. It's enough to make one rustle his newspaper in annoyance. This is one of my favorite LPW's, too.

128 - Yes! That is exactly the feeling I get when I read The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club.

138. At The Mercy Of The River by Peter Stark - 4.2 ★
13 in 13 Category: Pierre Burton - Non-Fiction
British Commonwealth Challenge: Mozambique
TIOLI #6: Title or Author's Name Contains a Landform



I have always been in awe of people that can set out upon the unknown, take themselves into the wilderness and survive, and At The Mercy of the River delivered all these things and then some. Peter Stark writes of the fifteen day expedition when he and four others set out upon Mozambique’s Lugenda River on a kayaking trip. Their goal was to be the first party to make the first descent of this unpaddled river.

They succeeded in their goal, and his written account relates both the good and the bad. His descriptions of this unspoiled wilderness and the wildlife they encountered along the way painted a picture that brought this land to vivid life. The river itself was a force to be reckoned with as they contended with rapids, waterfalls, and gorges that would try all of their strength and endurance. Travelling with five strong personalities meant that there were clashes, and the author battled with both control issues and his own insecurities.

Being aware that they were caught up in an adventure much like the African explorers that went before them, the author often found himself contemplating on the stories of some of the greatest African explorers. Throughout the book, he sprinkled tales of Vasco de Gama, Mungo Park and David Livingstone along with others which helped both himself and the reader to better understand the “hows and the whys” of exploration.

At The Mercy of the River is a well written adventure story that is riveting and informative. This was a life changing fifteen days for all members of the party and is a book I highly recommend.

You hit me with At the Mercy of the River. :)

Hi, Judy! Hope you are having a great weekend! I read and loved the first in the Rivers of London series, gave it to my sister to read, and have the second on order from the library.

I loved all the LPW mysteries but remember The Unpleasantness as one of my favorites too. Love Joe's comment and the visual of a member of the club rustling his newspaper in annoyance at the unpleasantness.

At the Mercy of the River looks a great read Judy. I am a great adventurer from the comfort of my reading chair and I look forward to seeking this one out.

Have a lovely weekend. x

Hi Judy. Doing a long overdue catch-up on your thread.

#111 I enjoyed your review of The Ice Cream War. I have two of Boyd's books in my TBR pile and I've heard good things about this author so I'm looking forward to trying him.

Hello Judy - so glad you enjoyed the William Boyd book! He is one of my favourite writers - you might also like to check out A Good Man in Africa or Any Human Heart which are both particularly good. Glad you went on your short road trip - but sorry you came back with a cold.

We've had a quiet weekend, with lots of reading time yesterday. Today we went out to various stores like Costco, Staples, Canadian Tire and went out for lunch. It was a both rainy and windy today and really felt like Fall had arrived.

#131 - Hi Carol, I hope you enjoy At the Mercy of The River, I found it fascinating.

#132 - Hi Mary, great to see you here. Yes, I have fallen in love with Ben Aaronovitch's series and have added it to my ever-growing list of series to follow! As for LPW, I am loving my read through this series.

#133 - I am the same kind of adventurer, Paul. Love to read about it, but couldn't take the dirt, bugs or the sweat!

#134 - Heather, after only one book, I am a fan of William Boyd and hope to eventually get to all his books.

#135 - Hi Prue, I have been converted into a huge William Boyd fan, luckily he has a fair sized library or works to investigate!

It was a both rainy and windy today and really felt like Fall had arrived.

Yes! I remembered my favourite sweater today, but it's still too warm to wear it. But I'd completely forgotten about it. Charlotte and I went for a walk after dinner and the air was lovely--some people clearly had their fireplaces going, and all the dogs we encountered had a spring in their step and were excited about all the smells in the air. The first hints of autumn.

Hi Joyce, Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I guess I am a real west-coaster cause I love the rainy days. That said, I am still hoping that October brings us some sunny yet cool weather. My birthday is in early October and my husband has booked us some time at Point No Point which is near Sooke on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We love going there in the fall and secretly keep our fingers crossed for a storm to come in while we are there!

Fall is my favorite, too, and we've had a string of beautiful, fall-like days here lately. It's wonderful!

I love fall weather, too. (I just wish Winter didn't follow close on its heels.) I dug out my favorite sweater during a cold snap last week. It was quite chilly and we haven't turned the heat on yet.

I've never read anything by William Boyd. I must look into his books!

>138 DeltaQueen50:: "We love going there in the fall and secretly keep our fingers crossed for a storm to come in while we are there!"

Judy, be sure and do some beachcombing while you are on the coast. Maybe you will find some treasures like Mary and Elizabeth did in Remarkable Creatures. I started it today and am liking it very much.

#139 - Hi Amber, we've had a lovely summer here and I am a little sad to see it go, but I am ready for crisp days, falling leaves, and the smell of woodsmoke in the air!

#140 - Terri, I am in the process of bringing out my heavier clothes and putting away my summer ones. It's like greeting old friends as I pull sweaters and long sleeved t-shirts out of the spare room! Of course, here on the west coast, fall weather can often mean lots of rain as well, so I better go and check that I can find my umbrella! And do check out William Boyd, I've only read the one so I don't which ones are his best but I really liked An Ice Cream War.

#141 - Well, according to the 10 day weather forecast, we may be getting some sunny weather when we go to the resort so definitely a walk on the beach will be on the agenda. Hopefully it will be good enough for a fire in the cottage afterwards while I curl up with a book or two. Enjoy Remarkable Creatures, Donna.

139. Laura by Vera Caspary - 4.3 ★
13 in 13 Category: Aruthur Conan Doyle - Classic Crime
September AlphaCat: V
TIOLI #12: A Book Published Before 1950



Laura by Vera Caspary is a great murder mystery which unfolds through the viewpoint of four of the main characters. This novel has elements of mystery, psychological drama and romance mixed together in a very readable story. Unfortunately it has been overshadowed by the 1944 film that remains a classic.

I readily admit that I have trouble separating the novel from the movie as I am a huge fan of the Otto Preminger film. The differences between the film and the book lies mostly in the way Laura is portrayed. Caspary describes Laura Hunt as a “modern” woman, a career orientated, ambitious woman in her early thirties who has great charm and vulnerability when it comes to men and love. Preminger’s Laura was younger, more seductive, elusive and mysterious. I was surprised that although the film is considered a prime example of film noir, the book really has none of the noir elements in it’s structure.

Nevertheless, I still found Laura to be a spell bounding read and the author’s homage to The Woman in White shines through each page, from the four character narration to Waldo Lydecker, who bears not a small resemblance in either features or character to Count Fosco, and of course, to the use of the name Laura.

Overall, I recommend that one indulges in both the book and the film of Laura, as each are classics and well worth the time spent investigating.

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I guess I am a real west-coaster cause I love the rainy days. That said, I am still hoping that October brings us some sunny yet cool weather. My birthday is in early October and my husband has booked us some time at Point No Point which is near Sooke on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We love going there in the fall and secretly keep our fingers crossed for a storm to come in while we are there!

I'm a springtime girl myself--I love the scents in the air and the lengthening twilights. But I love autumn too. I just don't like the shorter days. And it's bittersweet, especially after having a lovely summer. I'm with you on unpacking old favourite clothes--I just started wearing jeans again this week and am really enjoying it.

My brother and sister-in-law go to Point No Point every few years. It looks spectacular. I love the Island but haven't made it to that corner yet. One day. Enjoy your trip!

Hi Judy. I just put a copy of Laura in my Amazon cart since my library didn't have it. They did have the movie so eventually I'll take that out. I have a dim memory of watching the movie and loving it.

Thanks for mentioning the Point No Point Resort. That looks beautiful and just the type of place I love. I have a big birthday coming up next year and have been trying to figure out where to celebrate it with my husband. Of course, February might not be the best time. Do you know what the weather is like there in the winter?

Hope your sister is doing well these days.

#144 - Thanks, Joyce. I am spending a couple of weeks with my family in Victoria then my husband is coming over and we are heading to Point No Point. Finishing up my laundry today, getting all my jeans ready to wear!

#145 - Hi Pat, I hope you enjoy Laura. My brother has a copy of the film so we will be watching it some time over the next week or so. It's been years since I've seen it.

I'm adding the link to the Point No Point Resort

On the plus side there is a gourmet restaurant on site, some lovely beaches both at the resort and in the area, each cabin has a fireplace and hot tub - no TV's.

The minus might be the weather in February, it could be just about anything at that time of year from heavy rain, snow or it could be nice. I would probably bet on seeing rain though.

My sister is pretty amazing. She has gone though her second bought of chemo and she seems to be doing fairly well. Very little appetite or energy, but she hasn't been sick and overall she's pretty positive. I am looking forward to spending some time with her. Thanks for asking.

140. Watching The Dark by Peter Robinson - 4.1 ★
13 in 13 Category: Lawrence Block - Male Authors of Crime
September Series & Sequels
TIOLI #7: Number 9 or Higher in A Series



Alan Banks is in fine form for his 20th outing. Watching the Dark by Peter Robinson finds him investigating the death of DI Bill Quinn who is shot in the chest with a cross bow. This investigation in turn leads back to other cases that Quinn was involved in. As always Banks has a very capable crew assisting him and his partner, Annie, who has just returned from medical leave, plays a large part. There is a new face with Joanna Passero, a DI from Professional Standards (Internal Affairs) who is on hand as there have been rumors that the murdered policeman could have been involved in some shady affairs. She and Banks butt heads a lot, but I am wondering if she will show up in future books, perhaps as a love interest.

This was a solid police procedural that lead off on many different tangents. It was interesting to see how each thread was followed and eventually how so many threads meshed together to help the investigators reach their goal. In this book Banks is following the threads of a 6 year old case of a young British girl who went missing in Estonia, smuggled Eastern European migrant workers, along the murders of a policeman and a journalist that come eventually come together and bring resolution.

I enjoyed Watching The Dark and I am very glad to say that after 20 books this series is still fresh and interesting, and I look forward to number 21.

Hi Judy

I haven't visited in awhile and now I see what I missed....lots of great books and posts.

Congratulations on reading 140 books thus far!

The minus might be the weather in February, it could be just about anything at that time of year from heavy rain, snow or it could be nice. I would probably bet on seeing rain though.

I would agree with that assessment. I think snow in that area is quite rare, and probably not in February (at least not snow that sticks--maybe some wet snow flying through the air). It could also be foggy. I would love to take a chance and find out! But until my kids are out of school, probably no February trips for me . . .

Judy- I am also a huge fan of the classic film version of Laura and did not realize it was based on a crime novel. Very interesting and a woman writer too? Cool!

It has been ages since I last stopped off at Point no point.... enjoy!

Judy, I spent a little time poking around the Point No Point website at the link you posted. It looks gorgeous! I might have to come up for a visit sometime.

I've had a busy day of packing and getting ready to head over to the Island tomorrow. My elder daughter came and took me out for lunch for my birthday since I will away on the 4th which is the actual date. We went to a local Thai restaurant and shared Tom Yum soup with prawns and a dish of Noodles and chicken saté. Yummy.

#148 - Hi Linda, I have been reading some very good books this year and the rate I am going I think I will read more books this year than I did last year, which was already a personal record for me. I think the older I get the more I am pushing myself to read as there are so many book I want to fit in to the time I have left!

#149 - It's unfortunate but February can be a tricky month around here. Whatever the weather, it would be snug and cozy there, but the getting there could be difficult.

#150 - Hi Mark, you must be getting ready to leave for your Booktopia weekend. Can't wait to hear all about that, especially getting to meet Mary Doria Russell!! I am really looking forward to seeing the movie Laura again now that I have read the book.

#151_ Thanks, Lori!

#152 - Julia, it's a great place to go to recharge your batteries! You should totally come and visit us here in the Pacific Northwest!

141. Anne of the Island†† by L.M. Montgomery - 4.2 ★
13 in 13 Category: Dora Saint - Reader's Choice
September Series & Sequels
TIOLI #6: Title or Author's Name Contains a Landform



By this, the third book of the series, Anne is a young woman and after working for a couple of years as a teacher, she has saved enough money to go to University in Nova Scotia. Some of her friends are also enrolling at Redmond, and she makes new friends as well. By the second year, tired of boarding houses, there are four girls who decided to rent their own house and together with the elderly Aunt Jimsie, as a chaperone, they set up house for the remaining three years. Friday nights are designated as the evening for receiving gentlemen callers and these attractive girls have plenty of those. Gilbert Blythe is a regular and it is very obvious to everyone that he has deep feelings for Anne. Anne who is very fond of her childhood chum, dreads having to hurt him,

As Anne leaves girlhood behind and matures into a young woman, there is little trace of the orphan girl that was. Anne has become serene, sensible and very steady in purpose. In one area however, she seems to lag behind her friends and as she attends one wedding after another, she appears to not be able to see the love that is right in front of her, instead she is still holding out for that elusive Prince Charming that she imagined as a young girl. It takes a dark time and an almost tragedy for Anne to be able to understand where her heart is leading her.

I am loving my re-reading of this series, and have come to love Anne as much now as I did when a girl.

I've got to get to the rest of that series some day, Judy. I liked the first (Anne of Green Gables) a lot.

I was so happy when the entire Anne of Green Gables series was reprinted in the 70s--I bought them all up along with a lot of other L. M. Montgomery books. She still can stroke my heartstrings.

Enjoy your time in Victoria and with your sister and family.

#146 and #149--I was afraid February might not be the best time to visit Point No Point. Maybe we'll hold off and visit in June when we'll be celebrating our 25th Anniversary.

Judy, I picked up a nice hardcover copy of Anne of Green Gables in Barnes & Noble recently after reading your review. I'm looking forward to re-reading it. It's been a very long time!

Hope you have a nice visit with your family and wishing you an early Happy Birthday. Will you be on LT while you're away?

142. Number the Stars †† by Lois Lowry - 4.1 ★
13 in 13 Category: J.M. Barrie - YA & Children's Lit
September AwardCat: 2000 Finalist - Hans Christian Andersen Award
TIOLI #13 - Serendipity - Book links in some way to the book listed above it



Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is set in Nazi occupied Denmark and tells the story of how the country sprang into action to save their Jewish population when word got out that they were about to be detained. From the actions of the Resistance, the Danish police, the fishermen and the general population many were saved.

This book concentrates on one family and is told through the eyes of 10 year old Annemarie, as she and her family help their neighbours escape to Sweden. By focusing on this small aspect of the greater story, we are drawn into the emotional aspects of this event. As Annemarie learns and shows what bravery is, we experience the terror, the suspense and the hope that she did

Lois Lowry won a well-deserved Newberry Award with Number The Stars in 1990. She has delivered a inspiring story that shines a light on a little known historical event and effortlessly manages to show through one family’s decency and kindness how a nation responded to help a segment of their own population.

Judy, I read Number the Stars as my Denmark book for the Europe challenge and loved it. I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

My computer time is limited so I just came along and posted my review, but I have a few minutes now and I want to thank everyone for visiting and keeping my thread going while I'm away.

Joe, Roni & Pat - I've really been enjoying my return visit to the Anne series. I loved these books when I was young and today they are great comfort reads. I was a little disappointed with Rose In Bloom when I re-read it as it was quite preachy, but so far, the moralizing has been kept pretty much in the background.

#159 - Carrie, this is the second Lois Lowry book I have read and I have enjoyed them both. I think she did a fantastic job in Number the Stars in showing what has happening to these over-run countries during the war.

Thanks for that helpful review of Number the Stars, Judy. Thumb from me, and I'm adding it to my wishlist.

Count me in for adding Number the Stars to my wish list. I read all of Lois Lowry Giver series and I enjoy her writing.

Hi Judy - Nice review of Number the Stars - my kids loved this book. Lowry has set the bar high for books for young readers. I'm happy to see the Anne books hold up with rereading - these were favorites of my daughter.

#161 & 162 - I hope you both enjoy Number the Stars when you get to it.

#163 - Hi Beth, Lois Lowry takes this complicated story and manages to deliver the important points in a simple, easy to understand way that would give younger readers a clear picture of how things were during the war. I think she is an excellent writer and is well able to pull her readers into the story.

143. Outpost †† by Ann Aguirre - 4.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: H.P. Lovecraft - Dark Fantasy
September Series & Sequels
TIOLI #10: A Book You've Had Since 2012 that Starts or Continues A Series



Outpost by Ann Aguirre is the second book in her Razorland dystopian series, and this second offering is quite different from the first. While the first book focused on action and survival, this book is more about the emotional development and internal growth of the characters, in particular that of Deuce, the female main character.

The readers also learn a lot more about the enemy or freaks as they are called. These are definitely not zombies but are instead a mutant creature. Savage and cannibalistic, they are showing signs that they are becoming more organized and by the end of the book have the town of Salvation under siege. Of course there is plenty of action, as Deuce and her friends Fade and Stalker, join the militia and spend time both on guard duty and patrols, fighting off attacks by these mutants. Although I grow weary of the romantic triangle aspect, Deuce is a very interesting character and I enjoy both reading about her and her internal thought process.

I have enjoyed reading about these characters and the story moves along quickly with plenty of excitement to help offset the quieter moments. I will be on the lookout for the next volume as Outpost left off with the four main characters setting off on a rescue mission that looks to be both dangerous and thrilling.

144. Queen Lucia†† by E.F. Benson - 3.9 ★
13 in 13 Category: Graham Greene - Authors I Am Curious About
TIOLI #1: Rolling Challenge by Number of Letters in First Word of Title



Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson is a tongue in cheek satire aimed at the pretensions of the not quite ‘top-drawer” class. He sets his story in the fictional English village of Riseholm where society and etiquette are dictated by one woman, Emmeline Lucas, better known as Queen Lucia.

This book is light and amusing, but subtle it isn’t. The author misses no opportunity to mercilessly poke fun at these people and their desires to an upper class life of wit and elegance. It is when a rival to her throne moves into the village that the story takes off and each page of this character driven comedy will have the reader smiling, giggling or even snorting in delight.

I think the essence of this book rings a bell with people as these broadly drawn characters can be found amongst one’s social circle today. Every society must have its’ queen, and every queen must struggle to retain her throne. Queen Lucia is the first in a series of books, and judging by this first one, the rest of the series should prove delightful

Must read Queen Lucia! Thanks for the good review, Judy.

Well done with your Queen Lucia review, Judy! The whole series is indeed delightful.

Hi Judy. Hope you're enjoying your visit with your mom and sister. If I read your previous post correctly (#153), today is your birthday. So . . . Happy Birthday! Hope it's a good one.

Hopefully, Pat is correct...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Happy Birthday, Judy!! Hope you and your family were able to celebrate.

Happy Birthday, Judy! I hope you had a great day. Hugs!

Happy Birthday, Judy!

Oops! I missed saying it on your actual birthday, Judy, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I hope it was lovely and you got a lot of great presents, and that you are having a good visit with your family.

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. It was indeed my birthday on Friday and I have been celebrating ever since. Friday night my family took me out for dinner, and I was so pleased that my sister was able to join us as she has been having bouts of nausea from the chemo treatments over this past week. Today I was again treated to lunch and tomorrow my husband is coming over on the ferry and we are heading up to the Point No Point Resort for 48 hours of R&R.

My computer time is rather limited here, as I have to borrow my brother's and I think it's due for a good cleanup as there were times that I would try to make an entry and it just wouldn't work. I am looking forward to returning home and catching up with everyone.

Judy, I'm glad to hear you had an enjoyable birthday. And what good news that your sister felt well enough to join the celebration. I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Glad to hear you enjoyed your birthday, Judy. Happy belated birthday.

Slightly belated birthday greetings dear Guru!

Happy belated birthday. Many happy returns. Great comments on Queen Lucia; Benson seems to be popular here. Another one for the wishlist.

Judy, since so many of us missed wishing you a happy birthday on the actual day last Friday, I hope you'll consider extending your birthday celebration another day or so? If it's not too much trouble, of course.

So, just in case: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JUDY!!!!

Happy belated birthday! Hope it was a good one.

Happy belated b-day!!!! (What Rosalita said...)

Wow, more birthday wishes! Thank you everyone. We are on the ferry heading home and I am so glad to finally be able to use the laptop! I have a couple of more books to post about and then I can start to catch up with everyone.

#176 - Thanks, Carrie. My sister has a long road ahead of her, but the family is helping her and she's expecting her first grandchild (it's going to be a boy) in February so she certainly has something wonderful to look forward to.

#177 & 178 - Thanks, Linda and Paul.

#179 - Beth, I have downloaded the next two books in the Lucia series and am looking forward to reading them when I am in the mood for some humorous, light reading.

#180 - Hi Julia, I have absolutely no objection to continuing my birthday celebrations. I'm always ready to party!

#181 - Thanks Melissa!

#182 - Suzanne, my birthday celebrations will have to give way to our Canadian Thanksgiving which we celebrate next weekend. I'm looking forward to a turkey dinner with all the fixin's.

145. The Trader's Wife †† by Anna Jacobs - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: Xinran - Global Reading (Singapore & Australia)
Commonwealth Challenge: Singapore & Australia
October AlphaCat: J & W
TIOLI #5: A Halloween Word From the Provided List Can Be Made Using the Letters in the Title



The Trader’s Wife by Anna Jacobs starts out in 1865 Singapore where a young woman, Isabella is looking unsuccessfully for work as a governess or companion. Turned down by her own people, she is hired by a Chinese businessman who wants to improve his English and soon finds herself accepted and treated as an addition to the family. When she eventually decides that she must leave in order to search for her cousin, her employer decides she must marry in order to be safe. He introduces her to a young man who has ambition to become a trader and when the two young people agree, they are married.

Isabella and her husband, Bram now relocated themselves to Freemantle, Australia with the desire to set up a shop and a trading business. As these two fall in love and work toward their goal, they meet other characters who are also establishing new lives for themselves in Freemantle. I understand that this is the first in a trilogy and I certainly enjoyed this book enough to track down the remaining two books.

The author has delivered an interesting story and peopled her book with strong, and on the most part, likeable characters. I am enjoying the setting as I haven’t read very much about the west coast of Australia.

Happy belated birthday Judy. I'm glad you were able to celebrate with your sister.

146. The Inheritors by William Golding - 4.3 ★
13 in 13 Category: Patrick O'Brian - Historical Fiction
October AwardCat: Nobel Prize - 1983
TIOLI #1: Rolling Challenge by Number of Letters in First Word of Title



In The Inheritors, William Golding has condensed into one story the death of a lesser race as it gives way to a stronger, more intelligent, better adapted race. As a small band of Neanderthals come into contact with a group of Homo Sapiens, their doom is fore-ordained. The story unfolds through the eyes of Lok, a slightly simple-minded, gentle fellow who, in the pecking order of the tribe, is the lowest man. Lok has trouble putting the pictures that his brain forms into words for everyone to understand, and when the two lead males die, he is unable to process his thoughts and lead the remaining tribe members to safety.

This is a sad story, but a familiar one in the history of the world. As the story is told mostly from the Neanderthal’s point of view, one is inclined to dislike the Homo Sapiens, until the final chapter when the point of view switches and we reach the sad understanding that ignorance, misunderstanding, and fear of the unknown all to often lead to hasty judgements.

This is a powerful story told in a picturesque, lyrical style that touches the reader and stirs the imagination. The Inheritors is William Golding’s eulogy to these unusual beings that existed and then were so effectively wiped out.

Please add my birthday wishes to those above! I hope your day was special.

And, I've been reading a lot of children's illustrated books. Thus, I love your opening images!

Thanks to both Roberta and Linda, for the birthday wishes. I also managed to pick up a few books while I was away, some bought with birthday money and some passed on to me by family members:

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiel Hammett
Ambush by Luke Short
Pieces of Eight by John Drake
Dark Voyage by Alan Furst
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

I also started and abandoned a book while I was away, just couldn't get into Waterland by Graham Swift.

Add me as another visitor sending you belated birthday wishes!

Interesting review for The Inheritors, Judy. In my mind, Golding is always associated with The Lord of the Flies and I haven't even bothered to see what else he has written. Looks like The Inheritors is worth adding to the future reading list!

Hi Lori, I loved The Lord of the Flies when I read it years ago, but I read somewhere that The Inheritors was Goldings' favorite. Although the stories are very different, his way of telling a small story that tells the reader a great deal about human nature is very obvious in this book as well.

147. Mosquito by Roma Tearne - 3.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Xinran - Global Reading - Sri Lanka
Commonwealth Challenge: Sri Lanka
TIOLI #1: Rolling Challenge Based on Number of Letters in First Word of Title



Mosquito by Roma Tearne is written in lush descriptive words that paint a vivid picture of n exotic land caught up a violent civil war. Unfortunately the love story that was at the heart of the story lacked emotional depth and I found the book a rather tedious read.

The author, being from Sri Lanka captures the pain, suffering and brutality that this small country was enduring during the 1990's. Where I felt the book lacked believability was in her handling of the complicated relationship between the two main characters. A mature thirty-something year old writer falling in love with a seventeen year old schoolgirl needs delicate handling to evoke sympathy and allow the reader to feel the emotional innocence and poignancy that was needed. As the story dragged on I found myself much more interested in the events that were happening around the characters than in their personal story.

This is the author’s first book and although I found Mosquito to be rather flawed, her writing at times was both rich and expressive and I would certainly not hesitate to try another book by her.

The Trader's Wife sounds interesting. You don't find that many Singapore settings in books.

Judy- Just checking in. I better keep an eye out for Red Seas Under Red Skies. I really liked the first book in the series.
I hope you have a great weekend.

#192 - Hi Lori, I know, I have been looking for books set in Singapore for my Commonwealth Challenge and they are few and far between!

#193 - Mark, I loved the first book in the Gentlemen Bastard series, and I am looking forward to this one, but man, it is quite the chunkster!

148. Flesh Eaters by Joe McKinney - 4.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: H.P. Lovecraft - Dark Fantasy
October AwardCat: 2011 Bram Stoker Award
October AlphaCat: J
Halloween Theme Read
TIOLI #14: Nominateed For A Bram Stoker Award



Flesh Eaters by Joe McKinney is the third volume in his Dead World series that features zombie-like creatures. Although each book is a separate story that can stand on it’s own, the origin of these creatures is the same in each book. This third book takes us back to the beginning.

Southern Texas has been hit with three super-sized hurricanes in a row which has devastated the area and ruined the city of Huston beyond recovery. We follow the survivors of these storms as they scramble for safety from the storm surge that is covering the land. From the soup of ruined buildings and vehicles, dead animals, pollution, seawater and an assortment of unknown chemicals there arises a deadly virus that transforms humans into zombie like creatures that crave flesh. The story concentrates on one group of survivors as they try to escape these zombie-infested waters, but is their government willing to allow evacuation?

Flesh Eaters is a page turning thrill ride that includes all the expected zombie survival tricks presented in a straight out, well-written story with characters that are quite believable in their desperation. If you like zombie stories then you owe it to yourself to check out Joe McKinney’s books.

Well, that certainly looks like a Halloween-appropriate read, Judy! I'm not reading that series, and I don't intend to start, but you certainly make it sound entertaining.

Judy - I LOVED Mosquito, but I see what you mean about that relationship. The author told me she definitely took some flack over it. If you didn't like that pairing, well, don't read her novel The Swimmer--there are two, uhm, odd relationships in that one. Tearne likes to play with unconventional relationships. Here's what I wrote for Belletrista when I interviewed her:

"In each of her novels, Tearne returns to a series of themes. One of these is taking love where you find it; romantic relationships in her novels are sometimes unconventional: Theo and Nulani, from Mosquito; and Ria and Ben, Anula and Eric, both couples from The Swimmer. Commenting on what leads her to write relationships that make some readers uncomfortable, she says: "I am fascinated by the fact that there are people who become uncomfortable by so-called 'unconventional' relationships. Really what I am interested in is the nature of love and how it works on us all. For example, I know of someone (a Sri Lankan Singhalese) who is a lonely, single, middle-aged woman who nevertheless has turned her back on love because it came from a Tamil man. How crazy is that! Once when on a book tour in Australia I was publicly accused of writing about a pervert in Mosquito. I nearly fell off my chair! It's funny that it is nearly always women who say this. I'm afraid I told the person that her question said more about her than my characters. Is this harsh? I don't know. All I know is that human love is a fragile thing that has to be nurtured at all costs." " (you can read my whole interview at: http://www.belletrista.com/2012/Issue18/features_1.php)

So, that said, you might want to try Brixton Beach. Or maybe Bone China, although I see that one as a more mainstream historical fiction novel, and not as artistic as her others. But they're all good in my opinion.

Judy- Why do they all have to be chunksters? What's wrong with quaint and slim? Huh?

#196 - Hi Julia, yeah, Joe McKinney's series is good but really brings nothing new to the zombie table, sheer escapism!

#197 - Joyce, I think I will give The Swimmer a miss, but Roma Tearne is a powerful writer so I am not ready to give up on her. I already have Bone China on the wishlist, but I am going to add Brixton Beach as well. I did read somewhere that she is a painter as well and I certainly can see that she is able to paint vivid pictures with words.

#198 - Methinks, Mark is struggling with 2666, perhaps a volume or so of short stories would make a good reading companion to this super chunkster book. I'll drop by your thread to root you on.

149. The Sandman Vol. 8: Worlds' End by Neil Gaiman - 4.3 ★
13 in 13 Category: Neil Gaiman - Graphic Novels
October AlphaCat: W
The Sandman Yearly Group Read
TIOLI #13: Author Is On The List of LT's Top 75 Authors



The eighth volume of The Sandman is called World’s End. It consists of a series of short stories, each told by a different characters, but all blending and weaving together to make this volume very thought provoking. Although Morpheus isn’t a major character in this book, you can feel his touch throughout the stories. In each story we meet someone who has appeared in the series before, at times I felt this was a curtain call for the various personalities.

Somewhere where reality meets the imagination lies an inn called Worlds’ End. This inn is the meeting place for creatures from many different worlds that have been caught up in a storm and while they take shelter they pass the time by telling stories. At the climax of the reality storm, the travellers see a change in the sky and then a funeral procession, obviously led by Morpheus goes by. A closed coffin is carried by and many familiar and strange mourners are part of the procession. But who has died?

Perhaps it is the knowledge that this the series is turning toward the end, but I felt this volume very much was a harbinger of what is to come in the final volumes. I am very sad that this well crafted series is ending but how Neil Gaiman goes about finishing it has my anticipation level rising.

Judy: You're making me want to go back and read through all of the Sandmans again...

Me, too, Judy. So good.

I've really enjoyed this year long read, but getting a little sad that I only have a couple more to go.

Oh, Judy, I got behind on LT (again) and missed your birthday. Glad to hear that it was a happy one.

Terri, don't give it a second thought. At my age I should give up on birthdays, as it is, the afterglow of my birthday candles could easily be mistaken for a particularly brilliant sunset!

150. The Cleaner by Paul Cleave - 5.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Henning Mankell - Global Crime
TIOLI #18: A Book By a New Zealand Author



Set in Christchurch, New Zealand, The Cleaner by Paul Cleave was a great blend of action, humor and psychological thrills that was definitely dark and intense but was also a book that I did not want to see end. Telling the story of Joe, a devious, intelligent man who lives a complex life of lies to enable him to conduct his chosen avocation of rapist and killer. By day he works in a menial job as a janitor in the police station, passing himself off as slightly retarded, perfect cover for keeping an eye on the investigation into the Christchurch Carver which, of course is him.

Joe enjoys the notoriety of being the killer of seven women, but he is bothered by the fact that he has only killed six. Someone has used him to cover up their own murder and Joe decides to find out who the copycat killer is. His investigation is hampered by the women in his life. Both his mother who demands attention, and who he often tried to do away with, and fellow co-worker, Sally, who seems to see Joe as a replacement for her deceased special needs brother and wants to help him. But it is when the mysterious Melissa enters his life that things start on a definite downhill slide.

Learning what makes Joe tick was fascinating and terrifying and along the way the author throws in delicious details that are both amusing and revealing. The plot has many a twist and although the subject matter is very dark and intense, I found The Cleaner to be that rare read that supplies lots of creepy chills along with a very good story. Highly recommended.

I can't believe how quickly you zip through books! You obviously don't waste as much time as I do on other silly tasks. . . .

#206 -- I've been meaning to read Paul Cleave's novels, so have put a library request in for this one. Because, clearly, I don't have enough books already on my TBR mountain...

Hi Judy- I am really not having problems with 2666, although it is a time-suck. It is actually growing on me but this one is definitely not for everyone.
Hope the week is going well.

Ooh, 'The Cleaner' sounds really good! Very nice review, Judy.

ETA the touchstone points to a different book with the same title. But I found the right one to add to my wishlist!

Good review of The Cleaner, Judy. I've passed it on to my much more creepy-tolerant daughter, whose cuppa it appears to be.

#207 - Hi Joyce, I am a quick reader and yes, I admit it, I am rather spoiled in that I do have a fair amount of spare time to devote to reading. I have a husband who actually enjoys doing a lot of the household chores and with it just being the two of us now, we both tend to tidy up as we go.

#208 - Isn't it amazing how we can always fit in one more book, or two, or ... I will look forward to your thoughts on this one, Suzanne.

#209 - I don't think it would be a book for me, Mark, but it's great that you are enjoying your read of 2666. I have been spending a lot of my LT time over at the 2014 Category Challenge this week - yes, we are in the planning stages for 2014! I have already signed up for a group read of the Raj Quartet and am pondering a couple of other group reads.

#210 - Sorry about the touchstone, Julia. It's now been corrected. The Cleaner certainly isn't for everyone, due to it's subject matter, but for those of us that enjoy a walk on the dark side, it's very good.

#211 - Hi Joe, I hope Becca enjoys it.

151. American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott - 4.2 ★
13 in 13 Category: Pierre Burton - Non-fiction
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: A Biography
TIOLI #16: A Book Set In a Country That Is Currently a Member of the U.N. Security Council



I already knew the basics about Gypsy Rose Lee before I started American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott. I admire the author for tacking such a difficult subject, as Gypsy Rose Lee spend a lifetime inventing and re-inventing herself. It must have been very hard to separate the real woman from the myth. I did enjoy the book, I learned a little more about Gypsy Rose Lee and a lot about both the vaudeville circuit and burlesque in it’s heyday.

Born as Ellen June Hovick in Seattle, this youngster wasn’t even able to keep her name as her mother decided to bestow this favored choice on the next daughter. Ellen June then became Louise Rose Hovick and spent her growing up years in her sister’s shadow and trying to win her mother’s love. Anyone who has seen the movie Gypsy based on these years will know that the mother, Rose Hovick, was the ultimate stage-mother. The movie actually softened Rose and in real life she was a terror.

That Louise Hovick was able to become the superstar Gypsy Rose Lee had a lot to do with learning from her mother how to grab opportunity and ride it. I am old enough to remember seeing a slightly older Gypsy doing TV commercials in the 1950’s. I also remember her appearing on the TV show What’s My Line. That this complicated, secretive woman was able to pull herself from the seedy world of strip tease and become, at various times in her life, a novelist, an actress, and a television personality makes for a very interesting read. My one quibble with the book is that the timeline of her life jumped around so much that at times it was hard to keep track of exactly when things happened. Overall a fascinating look at a true American celebrity.

>212 DeltaQueen50: Becca says yes to The Cleaner. She figures her furry sidekick Sherlock can help her if it gets too creepy.

So glad to hear you liked American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee by Karen Abbott I've had that on my wishlist for awhile will have to find it now!

#214 - Joe, The Cleaner isn't too graphic (at least I don't think so) but the delving into the mind of a deviant can be quite icky, but at least the author adds lots of dark humor and Becca will have Sherlock to cuddle up with. I hope she enjoys the book.

#215 - Hi Susie, I thought Karen Abbott covered the subject matter as well as she could given the fact that Gypsy Rose Lee always preferred a colorful background story to the actual truth.

I've completed my 2013 Category Challenge a couple of books ago, although I am continuing with it as my categories are broad enough that all of my reading can fit. I don't know if it is the letdown after completion, but I am really struggling with my reading right now. It's not the books as I am really engrossed in both my current reads, it's just that I am not feeling like doing much reading at all. I hope this passes quickly as I still have quite a stack of books I had hoped to get through in October.

Judy, I'm sending good vibes your way that your reading funk goes away as quickly as it arrived. I think we've all been through that, and I've never found any remedy except time. Look on the bright side, though: All that time you are not "wasting" reading you can spend here on LT! :-D

And congrats on completing your category challenge, and it's only October! Way to go.

Book/reading funks happen to the best of us! Don't try to force it - I find that makes the funk last longer...

Thanks, Julia and Katie, I put my novel aside for now and finished my graphic novel today. I also started a volume of short stories which seems to be holding my attention. I will go back to my novel after I finish the short stories.

152. The Sandman Vol 9: The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman - 5.0 ★
13 in 13 Category: Neil Gaiman - Grahpic Novels
The Sandman Yearly Group Read
TIOLI #13: Author is on the List of LT's Top 25 Authors



Wow. I just finished The Sandman Volume 9: The Kindly Ones and my mind is still in a whirl. Don’t let the title fool you, this volume is one of the darkest yet. Except for the side story of Delirium searching for her lost dog which was charming, the rest of the book took us to the depths of Dreaming.

Reviewing this volume is difficult without putting spoilers in, but rest assured that Neil Gaiman has brought his series full circle. This is the thickest volume in the series and the pace is exceedingly fast, but the chaotic story is both a nod to the past and a path to the future. Be ready to get reacquainted with just about every character that ever graced a Sandman tale. The way these characters are brought back and fit seamlessly into the story is incredible and a nice reward for those of us who have followed the story from the beginning.

I felt that in this issue many threads from previous volumes were laced together but in true Gaiman style, there are still unanswered questions and avenues to explore. The Kindly Ones augments the legend and assures the reader that the dream continues.

Aha! That's the volume I used to list as required reading in my classical mythology courses. His use of Greek myth is superb in this one, no?

Love that volume in the Sandman series, Judy - well, I love them all, but The Kindly Ones is really special. You and Amber are inspiring me to a re-read.

#222 - Gaiman obviously has a great interest and knowledge of mythology as he uses these references in many of his works. And how he is able to weave these various stories together into one cohesive unit is fantastic.

#223 - Joe, I can see that anyone having once read The Sandman series would want to revist it time and again. I am wishing I had read this series before I tackled American Gods as I think I would have appreciated (and understood) that novel better if I had the Sandman under my belt first.

Judy- I am so impressed that you love the Sandman series so much. Sadly, I stalled at book 4, but you are inspiring me to give it another go.
Hope you are having a fantastic weekend.

#225 - We're having a quiet weekend, Mark. I've made an apple pie for dinner tonight and my husband is in seventh heaven. Now I am spending a few minutes here on LT then plan on an hour or so of reading. It's a grey, dreary day outside, perfect for finding a comfy chair and a good book!

153. The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories by Angela Carter - 4.2 ★
13 in 13 Category: H.P. Lovecraft - Dark Fantasy
TIOLI #16: A Book Written By An Author Who Has Judged the Man Booker Prize



Taking some very well known fairy tales and legends, Angela Carter tweaked and twisted them into her collection entitled The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories. I was quite taken with this collection finding something to admire in just about every story. These tales are often described as “feminist‘ in nature” and, if by that, they mean stories of the female as aggressor and males as victims then, yes, that is partially true. But first and foremost what I loved about these stories was the writing. Beautiful, detailed description along with her earthy and sensuous language created an alluring, hypnotic walk on the dark side.

These are not stories to read to young children, these are stories meant for adults and as such explore some sexual elements along with the violence and magic. Some of the tales like “The Courtship of Mr. Lyon”, a version of the Beauty and the Beast are very close to the familiar tale. But then there are the ones like “The Lady of the House of Love” that blends the vampire legend with the story of Sleeping Beauty. This was my favorite of the collection, it quite simply held me enthralled. “Her teeth and claws have been sharpened on centuries of corpses, she is the last bud of the poison tree that sprang from the loins of Vlad the Impaler who picnicked on corpses in the forests of Transylvania.”

These stories were my introduction to Angela Carter and I am now on a mission to track down more by this author who in turn both beguiled and unnerved me with this collection.

I am now on a mission to track down more by this author who in turn both beguiled and unnerved me with this collection.

A brilliant way to describe Carter's writing in The Bloody Chamber, Judy!

Thanks, Lori, I believe yours was one of the reviews that put this book on my radar!

Hi Judy. A long overdue catch up on your thread and I discovered I missed your birthday. So, happy birthday and sorry it's late.

I've added Laura to my wishlist. Also pleased to see you're enjoying a reread of the Anne of Green Gables books. I loved those when I was younger and enjoyed rereading them many times.

I also enjoyed your review of The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories which is one I have in my TBR pile.

#230 - Hi Heather and thanks for the birthday wishes. I loved Laura so hope that you will as well. Nudge that Angela Carter up, it's perfect reading for rainy fall evenings.

Interesting comments on The Bloody Chamber. It didn't work for me when I read it a while ago, but your review makes me think I need to track down a copy and reread it! I obviously missed something.

Hi Joyce, I find with short story collections my mood often dictates whether I enjoy the stories or not. I often find that there is just not enough time for me to sink into the the story when they are "short". I do however, really enjoy re-worked fairy tales, and these with their dark intent and beautiful writing hit me just right.

154. Running The Rift by Naomi Benaron - 4.4 ★
13 in 13 Category: Xinran - Global Reading
Commonwealth Challenge: Rwanda
TIOLI #16: A Book Set In a Country That Is Currently A Member of the U.N. Security Council



Running the Rift is the story of Jean Patrick Nkuba, growing up in Rwanda, having a huge talent for running, a talent that could see him in the Olympics. But Jean Patrick is a Tutsi in a country controlled and run by the Hutu and as the restrictions tighten and violence escalates will he survive the brutality much less make it to the Olympics?

The story covers fourteen years, and is paced much like a long-distance race, starting off slowly, taking the time to describe the country and it’s inhabitants. We learn of one family’s strengths, how much they love and respect each other through good times and bad, and we see Jean Patrick slowing growing into a runner. The middle part of the book increases in speed slowly, allow the tensions to build as we read of Jean Patrick’s university years, he is training hard now but also he is being confronted with the inequality and the force of power that exists, but he is also falling in love, which in a country like Rwanda that judges people by their ethnic classification, can be very dangerous. The final third of the book is the sprint to the finish, the political situation comes to a head, the genocide erupts and as the killings mount and the radio blares out hatred and lists of names to be killed, Jean Patrick finally runs the race of his life.

Running the Rift was a very layered story, moving the reader through this beautiful country that was seething with hatred, fear and ignorance just beneath the surface. I found this book to be riveting, thought-provoking and emotionally stirring. Naomi Benaron breathed life into these characters and delivered a first class story.

Two good reviews, Judy! I've put the Carter on my list and moved the Benaron closer to the top of the TBR!

Hi Judy- You've been finding and reading some appealing books. I like the sound of both of those.

Hi Judy - Nice review of Running the Rift -- and I dodged a bullet because I've already read it!

#235 - I hope you enjoy both these books when you get to them.

#236 - Mark, yep, I've had a good string lately, fingers crossed the good ones keep coming.

#237 - Hi Beth, I suspect I may have taken the Running the Rift book bullet from you. :)

So glad to see a review of Running the Rift, Judy, and a good one it is! This is one of those books that deserves to be better known, IMO. Thumb from me.

Hi Joe, you are so right. Running the Rift deserves a wide audience!

Hey Jude - you got me with The Cleaner - not available on Book Depository so I will have to check out my local bookshop.

Hi Prue, I am looking forward to tracking down more books by Paul Cleave, I got this one from my local library. I hope you are able to find him.

155. The Reapers Are The Angels by Alden Bell - 4.5 ★
13 in 13 Category: H.P. Lovecraft - Dark Fantasy
Halloween Theme Read
TIOLI #10: A Harvest Word in the Title



In The Reapers Are The Angels by Alden Bell it’s been 25 years since the zombie apocalypse and America has changed forever. Peopled by zombies, mutants and human survivors, the landscape is now one of ruined cities, guarded enclaves, and wide open spaces. Temple was born into this world and her life has become one of wandering this decayed America while she ponders on the meaning of life, and where she ultimately belongs. Along the way she makes a life-long enemy, one who spends his time tracking and following her with an intent to end her life. She also finds a travelling companion in Maury, a mute retarded giant that she decides needs to be taken to a place of safety, hopefully among his own relatives.

I found this to be an amazing story, reminding me somewhat of The Road, in that our main characters wander this blighted country, meeting strangers, some whom are friendly and some whom are most decidedly not. There are zombies, but what Temple fears the most is the demon inside herself. There are some details in the book that stretch the imagination a little beyond believability and it’s these details that keep me from giving this book 5 stars.

This is an allegorical tale written in simple prose that is in turns both beautiful and gruesome. I loved the main character who was extremely efficient when dealing with zombies, but is still haunted by her past and mistakes that she believes she has made. In reading this book I couldn’t decide if I would label it as a biblical western or a southern gothic, but finally decided that labels need not be applied. The Reapers Are the Angels was simply a super read.

156. Black Fly Season by Giles Blunt - 3.8 ★
13 in 13 Category: Lawrence Block - Male Authors of Crime
TIOLI #5: A Halloween Word From The Provided List Can Be Made From The Title Letters



This is the third book in his police procedural series, and Giles Blunt has offered up a page-turning thriller that involves drugs, murder, biker gangs and a witness with amnesia caused by being shot in the head. Cardinal and Delorme are working on this difficult case and at the same time battling the multitudes of black flies that make being outdoors in Northern Ontario a misery in the month of May.

I enjoy the Canadian setting of these books, as the fictional town of Algonquin Bay substitutes for North Bay, Ontario, and I find the characters are mostly well developed and interesting to read about. He has captured the feel of a smaller, northern town and the historical details about the military bases not having the same importance as in the days of the Cold War certainly rang true. I would however, like to see both the main characters developed a little more, especially Lise Delorme. She was very much present in the story, but had no character growth to speak of. The author does seem to have a great deal of knowledge regarding police procedures and the cooperation that is required from city, provincial and RCMP forces.

I fully intend to read on into this series and I am looking forward to seeing where Blunt takes Cardinal and Delorme next.

>9 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I like that Inga Moore illustration, Judy. Don't know how I missed it first time around. I may have to find The Secret Garden to see more of hers.

#245 - I tucked it into a spare space, Joe, but Inga Moore is a wonderful illustrator. I've mostly seen illustrations from The Secret Garden and The Wind In The Willows but I would love to get my hands on a copy of this:

157. Let Him Go by Larry Watson - 5.0 ★
Early Reader's Review
13 in 13 Category: Dora Saint - Reader's Choice
October AlphaCat: W
TIOLI #16: Set in a Country That is Currently on the U.N. Security Council



In Let Him Go by Larry Watson we are drawn into the world of George and Margaret Blackledge, who, knowing that their deceased son’s wife has married a man who will be a cruel stepfather, embark on a quest to recover their grandson, feeling strongly that he deserves to be raised as a Blackledge not as a Weboy. George, an ex-sheriff, knows that this won’t be an easy or sure thing, but Margaret is righteous in her belief that this child should be raised by people who love him.

When they arrive at the small town in Montana and make their objective clear, they unleash upon themselves the might of the Weboys, with their controlling mother and evil uncle. I don’t think of myself as a vengeful person, but I was hoping that the Weboy clan would in turn suffer consequences for their brutality. This story of two families at war with each other was both gut-wrenching and real, and one that I could not put down.

Written in almost classic western style this story of love, revenge and redemption is elevated by the author’s use of sparse yet poetic prose delivered by strong, well developed characters to create a timeless story that cuts right to the heart. Let Him Go is a fantastic read, and Larry Watson is a master at both the art of storytelling and the craft of writing. I highly recommend this book.

Great review, Judy! I just picked this one up for my Kindle.

Great review of the Larry Watson book, Judy. I'm going to pick up a copy.

Nice reviews, Judy. You reminded me that I haven't read any Blunt lately. I think I read the first three in the series. Are there more?

The Watson book has been getting a lot of favorable reviews. Another one for the list...

Oh, 'Let Him Go' sounds great. Wonderful review, Judy!

#248 - I know it will take a while for it to rise to the top, but rest assured you have a great read waiting for you, Katie.

#249 - Hi Linda, I hope you enjoy it. Have you read any other Larry Watson's? I have read Sundown, Yellow Moon and remember it was being very good as well. I need to read more of this author.

#250 - Thanks, Beth. Yes, there are currently three more books in the series after this one, making a total of six. The most recent was released in 2013, so I suspect he may still produce more.

#251 - Hi, Julia. I have found out over the last few years here on LT that I really love books that are written in this style, sparse yet beautiful prose, simple story, often with a western setting. Authors like Larry Watson, Kent Haruf, and Ivan Doig have risen to the top of my list of favorite authors.

Years ago, I read Watson's Montana 1948 and really enjoyed that. I think I've got another one around here.

Montana 1948 is the one I would like to tackle next, I've heard some good things about it.

I have set up my new thread, please come on over and join me as we count down the remaining couple of months in 2013.