DeltaQueen's Fourteen Steps to Guide Her 2014 Reading

Welcome to my first thread of the 2014 Category Challenge. For this year I have come up with fourteen facts about the number 14 that I will use to shape and guide my reading. As 196 books is beyond my ability, I am going to set a goal of 10 books minimum in each category, for a total of 140 books to complete the challenge. I may very well do more than 10 in come categories depending on how my reading goes next year.

How I Rate Books:

2.0 ★: I must have been dragged, kicking and screaming, to finish this one!

2.5 ★: Below Average but I finished the book for one reason or another.

3.0 ★: Average, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember

3.5 ★: Above Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.

4.0 ★: A very good read and I enjoyed my time spent with this story

4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book I will remember and recommend

5.0 ★: Sheer perfection, the right book at the right time for me

My main focus this year will be on moving those books off my shelves and my Kindle. I would like at least 60 percent of my reading (84 books) to be from these sources.

Categories

A. N is the Fourteenth Letter of the alphabet: Books with words beginning with N either in the Title or Author’s Name

B. Age 14 is the earliest that the Emancipation of Minors can occur in the United States: YA and/or Children’s Literature will be listed here.

C. Fourteen is the atomic number of silicon & there are 14 possible Bravais lattices that can fill three dimensional space: Say what?? I don’t have a scientific bone in my body, so this category will be for Science Fiction and Dystopia.

D There are 14 days in a British Fortnight: I will read British Crime here.

E. The House of Fourteen Cats was once a popular counting book for children. I will use the title of this book to create a space for my 2014 Cat entries.

F. President Woodrow Wilson outlined 14 Points for Reconstruction after World War I: Books about war or it’s effects will be read for this category.

G. 14 is the common designation for the 13th floor due to superstition and fear: So, what could be behind those sliding doors - Magical wonders or Horrors? Fantasies both light and dark will be read in this category.

H. 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue: This category will be where I brush up on my history, reading books as outlined by the Reading Through Time Challenge and other sources.

I. Newsworthy Facts from years ending in 14: : In 1714 - Queen Anne of England dies, George I become King, in 1814:- British Burn Washington, in 1914 - Assassination of Heir to the Austrian throne. This will be the place for my non-fiction reading.

J. 14 Days of Vacation - Canadian Employment Standards say that one is entitled to 2 weeks paid vacation after one year of employment. Add in the weekend days and vacation equals 14 days. This category will be for my arm chair travel, books set in far away places.

K. Fourteen Hands: The hardy wild mustangs of the western plains of America were measured to be an average of fourteen hands. Books set in the American West, both past and present will find a home here.

L. Clayton’s Choice: Fourteen is the age of my grandson. I will read books picked from my shelves by him.

M. There are fourteen letters in the name Agatha Christie: Books by Agatha Christie and other classic crime writers.

N. Final Fourteen - Fourteen Random Books read for whatever reason I choose.

A. The Letter N



Completed

1. The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman - 4.2 ★

Possibilities

- The Bat by Jo Nesbo
- The Only Life That Mattered by James L. Nelson
- Next of Kin by John Boyne
- Not Yet Drown'd by Peg Kingman

B. Emmancipation of Minors At Age 14



Completed

1. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott - 4.0 ★

Possibilities

- The Dead of the Night by John Marsden
- London Calling by Edward Bloor
- Citrus County by John Brandon

C. Atomic Number of Silicon = 14 - Say What??



Completed

1. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.2 ★

Possibilities

- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- Cinder by Melissa Marr
- Plague Year by Jeff Carlson

D. British Fortnight - British Mysteries



Completed

1. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson - 4.5 ★

Possibilities

- Still Midnight by Denise Mina
- Darkside by Belinda Bauer
- Layer Cake by J.J. Connolly
- Dead Tomorrow by Peter James

E. House of Fourteen Cats - 2014 CATS Reading



Completed

1. Ru by Kim Thuy - 4.2 ★

Possibilities

To Be Determined by the 2014 Random, Geo and Mystery CATS

F. 14 Points For Reconstruction After War



Completed

1. One of Ours by Willa Cather - 4.1 ★

Possibilities

- Daughter of War by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
- Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
- For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

G. 14th/13th Floor



Completed

1. The Passage by Justin Cronin - 5.0 ★

Possibilities

- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- The Infects by Sean Beaudoin
- Blameless by Gail Carriger

H. In 1492 Colombus Sailed the Ocean Blue



Completed

1. The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston - 2.8 ★
2. Hart of Empire by Saul David - 3.1 ★

I. Newsworthy Facts From Years Ending in 14



Completed

1. Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How They Came to America by Ruth Gruber

Possibilities

- Wild Swans by Jung Chang
- Agent Zig Zag by Ben Macintyre
- Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith

J. Fourteen Days of Vacation



Completed

1. The Food of Love by Anthony Capella (Italy) - 3.3 ★

Possibilities

- Train to Pakistan by Kushwant Singh (Pakistan)
- Equal of the Sun by Anita Amirrezvani (Iran)

K. Fourteen Hands



Completed

1. The Tall Men by Will Henry - 4.0 ★

Possibilities

- Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
- Warlock by Oakley Hall
- Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson

L. Clayton's Choice



We had so much fun with this that I had him pick a full 14 books, of which I may read 10 or go for the full 14.

Completed

1. A Cat In The Window by Derek Tangye - 3.5 ★

Absolutes

- Boiling A Frog by Christopher Brookmyre - picked because he liked the cover
- Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors - picked because, like him, the author's name starts with C
- The Great Karoo by Fred Stenson - picked because, like him, the author's last name starts with S
- Ride the Pink Horse by Dorothy B. Hughes - picked because he knows I like crime stories
- Dear Enemy by Jean Webster - picked becasue he liked the title
- Me and the Boys by Ellen Recknor - picked because we both like westerns
- The Hanging Tree by David Lambkin - picked because he found the tag of "Big Game Hunting" interesting
- We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - picked because it's a book he knows of
- Victory by Susan Cooper - picked because he read it last year
- City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling - picked because he thought it sounded different
- The Mushroom Man by Stuart Pawson - Picked because the title sounded intriguing
- The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters - picked because the story sounded interesting
- The Chameleon's Shadow by Minette Walters - picked because he likes lizards

M. 14 Letters in Agatha Christie's name



Completed

1. The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout - 3.4 ★

Possibilities

- A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie
- The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
- To Love and be Wise by Josephine Tey

N. Final Fourteen



Completed

1. The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell - 5.0 ★

2014 Group Reads & Other Reading Plans



Monthly

February: P.G. Wodehouse

March: The Jewel In the Crown by Paul Scott, Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

May: The Day of the Scorpion by Paul Scott

June: Georgette Heyer
Hosting RandomCat
Female Sci-Fi/Fantasy Authors

July: The Towers of Silence by Paul Scott

August: Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

September: A Division of the Spoils by Paul Scott
Hosting GeoCat: East Asia

November: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Quarterly

1st Quarter: The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs. Beeton by Kathryn Hughes

Yearly

Lois Bujold McMaster - Vorkosigan series

And now the wait for 2014 begins. I will start this challenge on January 1, 2014. For now I still have my 2013 challenge to complete.

Those are great categories! As always, looking forward to take some bullets next year! :)

Judy this is so cool. As always I have you starred! I think Another Man's Moccasins is the next for me in the Longmire series as well.

I love your categories! I will be following along as usual and am resigned to picking up a few bullets along the way.

Excellent selection of categories! I like your grandson's choices and rationales :) Looking forward to following your reading next year!

Very original categories!

Yet again, it looks like we'll be reading a lot of the same kinds of books! I especially look forward to seeing what you think of Agent Zigzag...I'm also planning to read a Ben Macintyre book next year! Hoping to get some good recs from your "vacation" category also.

You found some good uses of the number to head your categories. Lucky that Clayton's birthday can follow you through the years!

Love the clever categories. Definitely looking forward to seeing how you fill them next year!!

Hello everyone, I've spent most of the morning figuring out what I am going to read to finish out my 2013 Challenge. Fingers crossed, I hope to complete it next month. I am looking forward to January and starting this challenge. It's always exciting to have a fresh, new challenge to work on.

#21: Eva, maybe we should start handing out body armour when we visit the various threads here! ;)

#22 - Thanks for the star, Lisa. I have heard that Another Man's Moccasins is very good and that makes me want to get to it early in the year.

#23 - Welcome, Carrie.

#24 - I was really pleased with how he went through my TBR shelves and really thought out which books he was going to choose. I am very pleased with the variety of his choices.

#25 - Thanks, LittleTaiko.

#26 - Christina, I have a few of Ben Macintyre books on my wishlist, but I remembered that you really liked Agent Zig Zag so decided to go with that one as my first.

#27 - Thanks, Mamzel. One thing for sure though, next year I have promised my granddaughter that she gets to pick the books in a category as she was a little jealous that her brother got to do it this year.

#28 - Thanks, Linda.

Oh, DQ, I haven't actually read Agent Zigzag! The one I read and really liked was Operation Mincemeat. But I have faith that Zigzag will be good too!

Love the fun facts! I think it's very neat that your grandson is picking books for you - what a great way to get him interested in reading, too.

Someone in another thread suggested kevlar dust jackets as protection against book bullets. I'll certainly need one here!

#30 - Oh, that's too funny! I was sure it was Agent Zig Zag that you recommended so highly. Obviously I need to add Operation Mincemeat to the list as well!

#31 - Hi Sandy, I have high hopes that he will be a reader. He does read, but with so many other activities, reading isn't a high priority right now, but I think if you give them a good beginning, they will come back to it.

Catching up with some of the 14 threads and yours looks interesting. Got you starred and (sigh) resigned to taking some BBs next year.

Found and starred! Wow, you put a lot of thought into your categories- makes me feel sorta lazy about the way I slap mine together. And I think your grandson picked some good ones for you as I would like to read those too. Good luck this year.

Love the categories! What a great idea to have your grandson pick the books -- I may borrow that idea if you don't mind -- my 9-year-old granddaughter would love doing that!

I need some grandkids, I guess. If I were to ask my husband or any of my kids to pick books for me to read, I think I'd get a room full of blank stares!

#33 - Hi Betty, I think we are all going to have to don our kevlar dust jackets around here next year, the book bullets will be flying!

#34 - Jennifer, one of my favorite things to do is make up the categories! I'm just a tiny bit ashamed to say that I already have an idea for 2015 that I am looking forward to developing.

#35 - Ivy, borrow away. It's fun to see how they both approach the idea of picking books and the actual picks. I was very pleased with the amount of thought Clayton put into it.

#36 - Sandy, yes, grandkids are often much more simpatico with this type of thing! My husband would be giving me a blank stare as well. He reads a little, but I have to pick his books for him!

I have to pick my husband's books, too! He'll tell me that he's ready for another book - and when I ask him what he wants, he'll just say he doesn't know. He claims that I know what he likes better than he does! I think that's kind of funny because we like completely different things.

I have to chuckle a bit when I see someone I WANT GRANDKIDS!!!! It seems my kids are reproducing at an alarming rate right now and Im still in my 40's. I already have 2 Granddaughters and 2 Grandsons and another Grandson is making an appearance around the 24th of this month yes less then a couple weeks away and another Grandson due in Jan.

And yeah Im in the same boat my husband and kids thinks my reading is just stupid and a waste of time. My youngest daughter 12 always tells me "Mom your going to come home all day and all of your books will be gone and the only thing in the house to read will be 50 SHADES OF GREY and nothing else. She knows that would be worst then the torture chamber.

But I love you 2014 challange GREAT IDEA!!!!!

#38 - Yep, that's exactly like us! But I am happy that over the years I have made a reader out of him. He never blinks at the books I keep bringing into the house.

#39 - I am envious of you with so many grandkids. We have two and that appears to be it. LOL at the 50 Shades of Grey threat. Your daughter knows what torture is all about!

If I come home to all my books being gone with only that book if she dont she will soon find out. She is 12 so I could think of serveral different ways.

Yeah but with me in my mid 40's people look at me and ask WHERE YOU 12 WHEN STARTED HAVING KIDS!!!! Plus I have two daughters is their early 20's and my son just turned 18. So I guess one way to look at thing I will no lack for company in my old age.

Great categories and imaginative thinking on the number 14. I'll be stopping by often.

How fun that your grandson got involved. I read Letters of a Woman Homesteader last year and I really enjoyed it. Have you read These is My Words yet?

41 - I was still in my forties when the first grandchild came along, inside I thought "I am too young to be grandmother!!", but now I am glad that I was still young enough to have fun with them. So you will have lots of company for your old age!

#42 - Hi Max and welcome, I am looking forward to kicking off this challenge.

#43 - Hi Cindy, yes, I read These Is My Words on your recommendation a few years ago and I loved it. I have been meaning to continue on, as I believe it is the first of a trilogy, so perhaps I should fit Sarah's Quilt into the mix this year.

44 - as a an oldest grandchild, I'd agree, I got a lot more fun out of my grandparents in their 40s than my youngest did - by the time he arrived they were approaching their 60s. Grandad wasn't up to playing gee-gees on hands & knees under the gate leg table (with a tea cosy on his head) by then.

Liking the inventive use of the number 14 - and everyone needs a random category.

Love your fact-based 14 theme! Brilliant! the Clayton Choice picks are great and I can recommend The Little Stranger... it is a sleeper of a story but quite good, IMO.

Hi Lori, thanks. Now we just have to wait until January!!

Judy, you have been so creative with your categories. I might have to base one of my categories for next year on you Clayton's Choice idea. One of my boys turns 14 next year too, although maybe I will do a kids choice so they can all have a go. It could be very interesting. I look forward to seeing your categories fill.

Great theme and categories. I too have added a Sci-Fi category because my nephew thinks I should read some. I'm going to read Letters of a woman homesteader for my "Books published in 1914" category.

#48 - Hi Ro, I hope you do have a category where your kids choose the books, it's a great way to read off your own shelves and it's really interesting to see what books they pick (and why). I have two grandkids so I am already committed to repeating this category for my granddaughter next year.

#49 - Hi Beth, I am looking forward to dipping my toe in the Sci-Fi genre, I already know that I usually love dystopian books but I have mostly avoided the real hard core sci-fi. Let me know when you are going to read Letters of a woman homesteader and I'll read it at the same time.

You are very creative in your use of all those 14s. I've got you starred for next year.

I love your categories Judy. I have joined this group too. I'm still working on my categories but I can assure you they won't be at your creative level.

Wow, your categories are so creative!! Can't wait to see what all you end up reading.

#51 - Hi Lori, looking forward to following your reading next year as well. At my age I don't want to wish time away, but I am eager for 2014 to begin!

#52 - Hi Vivienne, great to see you here. I will definitely be starring your thread as I already know that your reading selections often grab my attention!

#53 - Thanks so much, I am really going to try to concentrate on my own shelves next year so I needed categories that would both fit my reading and encourage me to search my shelves first!

OMG! how creative you are! I've finally gotten off the fence and made a decision about my categories - now I just have to pick some pictures and set it up.

I'll be watching you!

Hi Cheli, I loved setting up the new challenge thread, of course now I am whipped into a frenzy of wanting to start! I'll be on the lookout for your challenge.

Clever categories, Judy! I'll look forward to your accomplishments.

OMG! I did the same thing for my categories. Sorry Judy.

#57 - Thanks, Lynda

#58 - I think it's great, Victoria. We interpreted some of the facts of 14 the same but went quite different with others. Either way, I know I will be picking up some book bullets over on your thread.

Looking forward to another year of having to buy books because of this thread! I like the idea of letting Clayton pick books for you. I'll have to see if I can tweak alter my challenge to add a category where my kids pick books for me.

After going through all the GeoCats and MysteryCats that I would like to read, not to mention the unknown RandomCats to come, I've decided to change my categories. I've melded my two British Crime categories into one which gave me space to add a 14 Cats Category.

I haven't started looking at potentials for the CATs yet, but I have a feeling I could probably have a whole litter of categories for those. :)

@ 62 -- I think we've just found the collective noun for the CATs...

I've had to make an extra category both years so far, so for 2014 I built one in to start with , but I am hopeful that I can even fit most of the random CAT into my other groups.

Such a fun way to incorporate 14, I love your categories! :D

#62 - Eva, I am glad I was able to add a CATs category, now I can even read an extra CAT or two along the way.

#63 - Yes, litter definitely sounds like the way to go!

#64 - I was worried that I didn't have enough room for mysteries in particular so this category will give me a place to put my MysteryCats that don't fit anywhere else.

#65 - Thanks, PolymathicMonkey. Credit goes to you for mentioning that it wasn't too late to shuffle my categories around to make a place for the CATS.

Woo! Glad you were able to figure out something that worked well for all your needs! :D

I have one category for male writers and one for females which should leave me with enough space for books that don't fit in elsewhere and my CATS. But a CAT category is a good idea. I'll try too remember for next year.

Great job of revising your categories. Now I wish I could see your original list...

#68 - Betty, so much depends on what CATs we choose for next year, I tend to read a lot of mysteries as well as a fair amount of books set around the world so I can see using my CATs category a lot this year. Having a male and female category would certainly do the trick as well.

#69 - Vivenne, I really only changed one category. I originally had my British Mysteries divided by male and female authors, so by putting them into the one category I was able to add a category for the CATS. When I explored on-line and found there is a children's book called "Fourteen Cats", well, that really helped to pull it all together.

I noticed the "Fourteen Cats" (very clever) was new but I couldn't figure out what was missing. Good idea to combine the mysteries. You can always do Mystery Cats to make up.

I've already decided that 2015 categories are (1) mysteries and (2) books that aren't mysteries! I figure everything I read will fit nicely into those. Should I put up my 2015 thread in order to stake my claim???

#72 - LOL, that should pretty much cover anything! Shh, don't tell anyone but I have actually already thought of a concept for my 2015 challenge.

My problem is that I still have a few books to read for 2013 but my book piles are stacking up with books I want to read - and they are all for 2014.

Wow, I'm still struggling with 2013. I can barely think about 2014, much less than 2015! I love your 14-themed categories, Judy.

I also have ideas for my 2015 challenge. I've decided to use five categories with 3 sub-cats each.

#74 - I find myself doing that as well, picking up a book and then deciding that it fits my next year's challenge and setting it aside. I also know that it's difficult to concentrate on the current challenge when the new one is calling out to you. Good thing you are close to the the finish line with 2013.

#75 - Thank, Paullina, I am hoping that most everything I want to read will fit, although I think my 2014 categories are a little tighter than in 2013 where pretty much any book I cared to pick up seems to fit.

#76 - Good to know I am not the only weirdo that likes to plan well in advance! ;)

Judy, I always throw in a catch-all category. I learned that the hard way one year where I kept wanting to read something that fit none of my categories. I've also gone to just setting a minimum and not setting a maximum for my categories. That way I can use them all year long, even after I'm "done" without starting a second challenge or mini-challenge.

Good thought on just having an overall minimum... think I will wander over to my thread and implement that change! Thanks!

#78 - Hi Lori, yes that catch-all category is mandatory for me as well. Gotta have a place for those books that call out to you but don't necessarily fit your challenge. I think I will consider 10 books in each category a minimum as well.

#79 - MM, I have decided to adapt the minimum idea as well, 10 books in each category as a minium and if I am able to actually do 14 or more, well that's a bonus!

I'm not that brave! I'll do 5 minimum per category. Some categories will probably have 20 (or more), but at least I'll have some in each!

Lori, I am probably biting off more than I can chew. But when I look at all the books I would like to read, i can't help but up the minimum.

My problem is that I'm not sure that I can make 10 in each category when I have more that fit certain categories than those that fit in others. I guess I'm just trying to be realistic. I fully expect to read at least 150 books again. (I'd love to hit my 225 of 2011 or 241 or so of 2012, but I imagine that my reading next year will closer parallel 2013 because of too many other commitments.)

That's the key word, realistic. I'm working on an all-time high this year, but don't know if I will reach 160 plus again next year. A minimum of 10 in each category gives me a total of 140 which is doable, and will still hopefully allow me to finish my challenge in November and give me a couple of months of free reading.

My minimum is always five books in each category. Stretches me a bit but is not impossible.

Clever, clever girl, Judy! Great theme, and I love the thought process behind it. I especially love the Clayton's choice category - and thanks for so much for listing the reasoning behind his choices!! Too fun!

#85 - That's the secret to the whole thing, planning enough books to be a challenge but not too many so that you become overwhelmed.

#86 - Thanks, Mamie. It was fun to see how he went about making his choices. Next year I am doing the same category with my granddaughter so she get to pick, that should be extremely interesting as she is a very different girl from her brother!

Love the categories, very creative.

#88 - Thanks.

I am getting very eager to start the 2014 Challenge, but since I am going away right after Christmas and won’t be back until the new year has started, I will wait until January.

Monthly book planning is going to be tricky this year with 14 categories and numerous other challenges that I have committed to, so I am going to list my planned January reads now:

* The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman - Category: N is the 14th Letter
* Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott - Category: 14 Is The Age of Emancipation
* Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold - Category: The Atomic Number of Silicon - Science Fiction, Vorkosigan Group Read - Reading
* One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson - Category: British Fortnight - British Mysteries, January MysteryCat: Detectives - Reading
* Ru by Kim Thuy - Category: House of Fourteen Cats, January GeoCat: Focus on Immigration, Reading Through Time Monthly: New Beginnings
* One of Ours by Willa Cather - Category: 14 Points for Reconstruction - War Stories, January RandomCat: Janus Rules, January American Author Challenge
* The Passage by Justin Cronin - Category: 13th/14th Floor, January RandomCat: Janus Rules
* The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston - Category: In 1492 Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue
* Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 Refugees and How They Came to America by Ruth Gruber - Category: Newsworthy Facts, January GeoCat: Focus on Immigration, Reading Through Time Monthly: New Beginnings
* The Food of Love by Anthony Capella - Category: 14 Days Paid Vacation - Global Reading,
* The Tall Men by Will Henry - Category: 14 Hands - American West, January GeoCat: U.S.A. and Canada
* A Cat In the Window by Derek Tangye - Category: Clayton’s Choice
* The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout - Category: 14 Letters - Classic Crime, January MysteryCat: Detectives
* The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell - Category: The Final Fourteen, January GeoCat: Canada and the U.S.A.

I'm impressed that you have your January reads all planned. I am going to have to work on that, but I haven't yet. I will probably play with the list when I get to Mississippi.

I support Clayton's choice!

#91 - Lori, I have enough reading committments this year that I am going to have to do a fair amount of advance planning. I now know which books to pack up to take away with me as I leave on the 26th to visit my Mom in Victoria for couple of weeks.

#92 - Vivienne, I am looking forward to reading Derek Tangye again, I have read quite a few of his and fell in love with his lifestyle and Cornwall many years ago. I have a few of his on my bookshelves and consider these along the lines of a comfort read.

I look forward to reading what you think about more than a few of those, especially The Death of Sweet Mister.

Impressive list for January! You make me feel like a slacker :P

#94 - Kay, so far I have read only Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell and I really liked it so I am looking forward to The Death of Sweet Mister.

#95 - Leslie, when I see them all listed out they are scaring me a little too. But I usually read between 12 - 15 books a month, so hopefully I will get through these. My problem is in having to pre-plan so much of my reading, once I see it listed I've been known to lose interest and get easily distracted by different books.

I really like how you made your categories and your categories.

Hi Kristel, I love setting up this challenge every year, and even though my categories get new names every year I tend to have very similar categories that fit with my reading. Can't wait to get started!

>96 DeltaQueen50:
I have the problem with books that I also have with food "my eyes are bigger than my stomach"! I always seem to want to read more books than time permits! But I like the idea of putting it down so I will follow your example. ☺

You are amazing Judy! You can read 14 books in one month where I'm lucky to read 3! Happy reading!

#99 - Ah, the "Eyes Are Bigger" syndrome. I've been known to have that a few times as well. ;)

#100 - Wow, I haven't been called Amazing for quite awhile!;)

I love the categories! Happy reading in 2014!

HI Laura, I am currently away visiting family but I am really looking forward to getting home and launching my 2014 challenge! I am currently reading my last book that will count for 2013 and then will start in on my first 2014 book. Looking forward to a another great year.

Enjoy the visiting and travels and finishing up 2013. It takes some effort with all the new shiny lists and intentions, but there is no reason to rush into 2014 while we still have a bit more time to enjoy 2013.
:-)

Judy, I am looking forward to following along with your very clever challenge ideas!

Lovely challenge categories! Very creative.

Happy New Year Judy. I wish you many blessings for 2014.

Good luck this year, Judy!

Hi, Judy! Wow, over 100 posts by the first of the year!

I love your theme and categories! Very, very clever and well-organized (and nicely illustrated, too!)

I'm home and ready to get started with the Challenge. I had a great Christmas and spent time visiting with my family. Usually by the time five days have gone by I would have a book or two to report on, but I just didn't get much reading time in. I am sure that will change soon.

I did very well for myself over Christmas with the following books being added to my TBR shelves:

Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason - from my Secret Santa
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
In the Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
Good Bait by John Harvey
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
Roy & Lillie by Loren D. Estleman
The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally
All Change by Elizabeth Jane Howard
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas - Group Read starting in March
The Dain Curse by Dashiel Hammett
A Brother's Blood by Michael C. White

I hope to fit some of these books into the Challenge, but am trying to make my priority the books I have had on the shelf the longest.

I am looking forward to catching up with everyone at their threads.

Excellent Christmas haul! I liked Arctic Chill very much and hope to fit in the next in his series for one of the Mystery CAT months.

I liked The Three Musketeers, despite some of its flaws. Have you read it before?

Nice haul! Good to hear you had a good time with your family, and welcome back!

Yes, great book haul! Looks like we'll be in some group reads together this year. I'm planning on Wild Swans and The Three Musketeers. The Count of Monte Cristo was my favorite read last year.

114 > There's a group read for Wild Swans planned? When and where? I've got it on my TBR stack and maybe this will help me get it on my 'have read' stack instead.

>111 mathgirl40: Totally agree about Arctic Chill!

And The Three Musketeers is one of my top-10 books of all time! I think I have read it 4 times already otherwise I would be joining you in March :)

@115 Wild Swans is second quarter, meaning April - June. The group reads are posted on the group main page. I think they are all pretty much settled for the year already, but I'm sure there is a group read planning thread somewhere too.

117 > Ah, I totally missed that. Last time I looked (before the New Year, I think) I didn't see it there. Thanks.

#111 - My next Arnaldur Indridason book will be Voices the third in the series, but it's nice to know that I have the next two after that on my shelves as well.

#112 - Samantha, I haven't read The Three Musketeers before. I was part of the group read of The Count of Monte Cristo last year and enjoyed it so much that I couldn't wait to sign up for the group read of The Three Musketeers this year.

#113 - Hi Rabbitprincess, I am glad to be home but I still seem to be having a problem with finding time to read. Once all the Christmas decorations are packed away and things settle down, I hope to spend some quality time with my books.

#114 - Katie, I loved The Count of Monte Cristo as well. Group Reads have lead me to dip into a lot of classics that I hadn't ever tried before, there's something about having the support and input that gives me the courage to read books that I have avoided in the past.

#115,117 & 118 - I am also looking forward to the quarterly non-fiction reads this year, I think I will be participating in all of them.

#116 - Hi Leslie, I am following a number of Nordic Crime series and it's been awhile since I visited Iceland, hope I can fit an Indridason in soon.

Voices is a good one, as I recall! Enjoy :)

Stepping in to say, Hi.

*waves*

I'm looking forward to The Three Musketeers this year also, Judy. Bleak House has been a good read but there's not a whole lot of conversation regarding it. Are you reading BH?

Hello Judy! I'm trying to keep my head above water with the threads.

#120 - Thanks, Leslie.

#121 - Hi Andrea, it seems so busy right now, I am having a hard time keeping up with all the threads.

#122 - Lynda, I am not reading Bleak House, I couldn't quite fit it in with all my other January plans. I am hoping that The Three Musketeers will be an active group read, I like the ones that have a fair amount of input from the participants.

#123 - Hi Roberta, I know, it's crazy right now. I seem to spent one day over at the 75 group and the next one here. Haven't quite figured out when I will fit in my actual reading!

Finally, my first book of the year!

1. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.2 ★
Category: 14 Is The Atomic Number of Silicon - Sci-Fi Books
Vorkosigan Group Read
TIOLI #16: Book Has Ugly Cover
Book Bingo: A Book With a Female Heroine



Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold continues and completes the story of Captain Cordelia Naismith and her husband, Aral Vorkosigan, now Regent of Barrayar. Where the first book was a space opera of adventure and love, this book is richer in content and detail using the internal politics of Barrayar as a launch pad to continue the adventures of this couple, now expecting their first child. One thing that has carried over from the first book is the perfect fit this couple make. This is a mature relationship built on mutual respect, honor and love.

I loved how this couple work together to solve their problems and in Barrayar they have some major decisions to make and, mostly, Aral stands firmly with Cordelia. Of course there came the one time when Aral wavered and Cordelia felt impelled to go off on her own adventure leaving him behind to worry over her safety. To my delight when he tells her not to do something like that again, she tells him to make sure that she doesn’t have to.

I have to also make mention of the wonderful supporting characters, some old friends from the first book and some new ones that help to flesh out the story. My personal favorite is the damaged Bothari and I am glad to note that he has been given a position that should keep him in the forefront of the next book. My only complaint is that this is the last book with Cordelia being front and center as the main character. As the series continues, the focus will now be on her son, Miles. I will miss the brave, competent but, oh so human Cordelia.

As much as I liked the first book, this second book is even better and has set a very high standard for the remainder of the series.

Welcome back Judy! Happy belated New Year!

I'm settling into my first full week of work after lovely holiday time off and I can't believe it's 5 degrees here!

Let me know when you think you if you decide to and when you might read the following: Still Midnight, Another Man's Moccasins and The Bat, I hope to get to all of those this year as well and would love to read them with you!

I'm glad your first book of the year was such a good one, Judy. I've seen mention of that series all over the place lately but I've been carefully avoiding reading any details about it because, as you know, I am no longer starting new series. Ha.

#126 - Hi Lisa, I would love to read all or some of those books with you. At this point, I was thinking of reading them to tie in with various MysteryCats as follows:

Another Man's Moccasins - February MysteryCat: Series
The Bat - April MysteryCat: Nordic
Still Midnight - August MysteryCat: British

I'm certainly not locked in to that schedule as I have plenty of books to fit each of the MysteryCats, so if another time would suit you better, let me know.

#127 - Morning, Julia. I am finding the Vorkosigan series a fun read, and as I haven't read a lot of science-fiction this is a great way to jump into the genre. Hmmm, new series? Didn't I just see you cave to Roberta's artful ways to add the Iron Druid series to your list?

I'd like to read more straight and hard SF, so this sounds like a good series for me to try.

#128 Judy I like your plan, I will make note of it. I'm going to see if Victoria wants to join us for the Longmire book.

#129> Oh, that? Well ... they double-teamed me, Roberta and Tina! I was powerless in the face of their onslaught! I had no choice but to succumb!

(Plus (shhh, don't tell them), I haven't actually started the series yet. I'm hoping they both forget I promised I would.)

#132 - No fears, Julia, they will never hear it from me. ;)

2. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson - 4.5 ★
Category: British Fortnight - British Crime
January MysteryCat: Detectives
January RandomCat: Janus Rules
TIOLI #6: Author Born In Yorkshire
Book Bingo: A Book With More Than 500 Pages



“Boxes within boxes, dolls within dolls, worlds within worlds. Everything was connected.”

These words taken from it's pages perfectly describe the entwining feeling one gets when reading One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson. A series of coincidences and chance encounters make for one very riveting read. This is the second Jackson Brodie book and I found it to be surprising, multi-layered and quite an addictive read.

Jackson has come to Edinburgh at the time of the Festival to be with his actress girlfriend, Julia whose time is totally engaged in rehearsing for a play that is about to open. With so much free time on his hands, he spends his time wandering the streets of Edinburgh. He soon witnesses a road-rage incident and then a murderous attack that eventually leads to more mayhem and murder. As the body count rises, Jackson soon finds himself more than an innocent bystander.

Expertly written with razor sharp insight, humor and emotion, Kate Atkinson has delivered another great crime story where the pages seem to turn by themselves.

Good to see another Jackson Brodie fan. And you have two more books ahead of you.

The Musketeers is a favourite of mine..... perhaps a re-read in order

I miss Jackson Brodie now that I've read all four books. I hope he comes back someday.

Oh, nice review, Judy! I have that one in the stacks and am hoping to get to it this month.

Edinburgh is always a temptation for me in fiction. Will have to keep this one in mind!

...late to the party here...but never to late to pay a compliment right?
I love your categories, they are so varied and interesting. I will be starring and returning as you go.

Re: Kath Atkinson- I have never read her, but have heard so many good things about her. One radio reviewer fair raved about Life After Life, it was borderline ranting. Passionate, let's just call the reviewer that, it has so much more decorum than a rant :)

One Good Turn is the book that really hooked me on Jackson Brodie. Case Histories was OK, but this one was much better!

I'm glad to see your positive review of Barrayar, as I've got that planned for my February installment of the Vorkosigan group read.

It's also nice to see the great review for One Good Turn. I've got Case Histories on my shelf.

#135 - Hi Kay, I am a huge Jackson Brodie fan and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. What I haven't read is a Kate Atkinson stand alone book, although I have a feeling that I would love those as well.

#136 - The group read for The Three Musketeers is starting in March, I hope you join in Julie.

#137 - I didn't realize that she had stopped after the first four books. I sure hope he comes back as well.

#138 - You've got a good one waiting for you then, Mamie! ;)

#139 - I have never been to any part of Scotland, but it would be one of my first choices to visit. I think the climate would agree with me, as I love cool and misty, heck I even like rain!

#140 - Hi Megan and welcome. Of course you are not late (and thats not because of the compliment). I have seen lots of rave reviews for Life After Life, and from my limited experience, this woman can really write!

#141 - Carrie, I think I also preferred this second volume to the first, although you won't be able to tell that from my rating. I gave Case Histories 5 stars, and One Good Turn} got 4.5 stars. I might just have to up that 4.5 to a 5!

#142 - Pauline, I am planning on skipping the Vorkosigan series next month and pick it up again in March with The Warrior's Apprentice, next month I am still going to read Lois McMaster Bujold but I am going for the second book in her fantasy series, Chalion.

3. Ru by Kim Thug - 4.2 ★
Category: House of 14 Cats - Books for the Cat Challenges
January GeoCat: USA & Canada - Focus on Immigration
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: New Beginnings
TIOLI #17: A Book Set Where I Live
Book Bingo: A Book With a One Word Title



Ru by Kim Thuy is a compilation of vignettes where each page is a separate story, complete within itself, telling of the stress of living under the communists in Viet Nam, the horrors of escaping by boat, the filth and hopelessness of the refugee camp that they found themselves in, and the many adjustments they had to make as a family and as individuals to fit into their new life in Canada.

This is not a linear story, but as the reader continues through the book, it’s beautiful, lyrical writing paints a clear picture of both this woman’s experiences and her inner feelings. There is a dream-like style to the writing and at times I felt like I was intruding on a very personal vision.

Ru is a story about the emigrant experience and with it’s original perspective it was very easy to forget that this is a novel not a true memoir. It is also very easy to conclude that the author drew on her own experiences to create this very intimate account. I believe that this will be a book that stays with me, and that these small stories told with grace and dignity will often be recalled.

Ooooh. I'm definitely going to pick up Ru

Judy, that one reminds me of The Buddha In the Attic. Have you read that one?

What does TIOLIL stand for?

#145 - It a great read and only 141 pages to boot!

#146 - Julia, The Buddha In the Attic is on my wishlist, just haven't got to it yet. I had a lot of choices for this Cat Challenge, but decided to go with a Canadian one.

#147 - Leslie, TIOLI stands for Take It Or Leave It which is a challenge that is based over at the 75 Group. It consists of various people listing a challenge and then it is up you whether or not you participate and there is a "no guilt" policy. If you enter a book and then don't get it read - no guilt. It's much like our RandomCat here except there are many more offered every month. This month, for example, there are 20 different challenges. It's another fun way to help empty those TBR shelves.

Judy, I have a bit of a crush on Jackson Brodie. I read Behind the Scenes at the Museum a long time ago and really liked it. I hope to read a couple of Atkinson's non Brody books this year.

#149 - Kay, I don't mind admitting that I have a crush on Jackson Brodie as well. Of course, watching Jason Issacs play the part on TV only helped to seal my fate!

Ru does look interesting, going to keep my eye out for it.

#151 - I'd be most interested in what you think of this book, Claire. I have a feeling that I will look back on it and think it deserved a higher rating, but while reading it, I always felt there was a barrier between the author and her readers.

4. A Cat In The Window by Derek Tangye - 3.5 ★
Category: Clayton's Choice - Books Picked By My Grandson
TIOLI #11: Two of Something In the Title
Book Bingo: A Book With Non-Human Characters



A Cat in the Window by Derek Tangye is a charming book that tells the story of Monty the cat. Monty comes to the Tangye’s in the early days of their marriage, and even though Jeannie was a cat lover, it took some convincing for Derek to agree to allow a cat into the house. Of course, eventually Derek became Monty’s biggest fan.

This book also chronicles how this couple gave up their busy life in London and settled down on a remote flower farm on the rocky coast of Cornwall. Derek Tangye went on to write a series of books about their life at Minack and the various animals that shared that life with them, but for me, Monty remains special.

Yes, A Cat In the Window is an unabashedly sentimental look at the calming rhythm of times past, yet Derek Tangye effortlessly re-creates the beauty and magic of this special place and gently draws his readers in.

Lots of Jackson Brodie love going on over here! I may have to meet him especially since he looks like Jason Isaacs. ;-)

I think you'll find "Buddha in the Attic" to be quite interesting when you do get to it, Judy. It would be interesting to contrast the experience of Japanese immigrants in California with Vietnamese immigrants in Canada; I bet there are quite a few similarities and a lot of differences, too.

Judy> The cat book sounds lovely.

Nice start to your reading year, Judy! Ru was a wonderful read for me. Glad to see it was for you as well.

#154 - Roberta, you should give the Jackson Brodie mysteries a try. The first one is Case Histories, I think you will love this series. As for the TV shows, there were 3 made, covering the first three books, and although they don't follow the stories exactly, as Julia says (over on my 75 thread) they capture the essence.

#155 - I think you are right, Julia, I admire people that are brave enough to come to a new country, learn a new language, customs and food. It is a very hard thing to do, especially for the older people. And of course in coming to Canada from Viet Nam, there were severe climate changes to face as well.

#156 - Lori, I think you would love the Derek Tangye books. Well not really being anything like Miss Read's work, they both write of a kinder, gentler time and paint wonderful pictures of nature.

#157 - Hi Lori, yes, I felt that I got off to a slow start but my last few books have been short ones. Ru was a surprise, such a short book but so much packed into it and written so beautifully.

I saw where Lori (Ikernaugh) has added her Random House Bingo Card to her thread, so I thought I would do the same. Being greedy I decided to try both the regular Bingo and the YA Bingo as well.



* B1 - A Book with More than 500 pages = One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (541 pages)
* I1 - A Forgotten Classic = One of Ours by Willa Cather
* N1 - A Book Made Into A Movie = The Tall Men by Will Henry
* G1 -
* O1 -

*B2 -
* I2 - A Book With Non-Human Characters = A Cat In The Window by Derek Tangye
* N2 -
* G2 - A Book With A Female Author = The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman
* O2 - A Book With a Mystery = The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout

* B3 - A Book with a One Word Title = Ru by Kim Thuy
* I3 -
* N3 - FREE SPACE
* G3 -
* O3 - A Book of Non-Fiction = Haven: The Dramatic Story Of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How Tney Came To America by Ruth Gruber

* B4 -
* I4 -
* N4 -
* G4 -
* O4 - A Book at the Bottom of Your TBR = Hart of Empire by Saul David

* B5 -
* I5 - A Book That Scares You = The Passage by Justin Cronin
* N5 -
* G5 -
* O5 -



* B1 - A Book With A Female Heroine = Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Cordelia)
* I2 - A Book With a Break-up = The Food of Love by Anthony Capella

* B3 - A Book Set in the Past = The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston

Book Bingo! How fun!

Yay! I have never done the Book Bingo before but it does look like a lot of fun so happy to see you are doing it as well, Judy!

Those book bingos are very tempting, but I'm not gonna do it. *stamps feet* Nope, I'm not. I've got enough challenges going right now and a few on the backburner waiting to be started.

I'm in debates about the book bingo. I want to do it, have lots of choices for the books, but like Samantha_kathy, I already have enough challenges!

I've decided I'll do the bingo at a leisurely pace. I'll focus on the category challenge and the 1001-books list as primary challenges and if books also fit into the bingocard, then that's fine. I'll just see how far I get that way :)

The bingo is quite tempting! If they do it next year maybe I will partake then (or I'll just hang onto this one for next year).

I love the book bingo!

#160 - That's how I am going to treat this Book Bingo, Lori, as a fun extra!

#161 - As I travel around LT, Lori, I see there are a few of us that are going to doing the Book Bingo, of course, it's easy right now to fit a book in, but it will get more tricky as the spaces fill up.

#162 - I know how you feel, Samantha, I have way too many challenges going on, but I am weak and couldn't resist. ;)

#163 - Another person with more will-power than I!

#164 - Good attitude, Britt, that's the way I am going to do it as well.

#165 - I think there is a very good chance of this challenge being repeated next year (with different categories) as I believe there was a different one set up last year.

#166 - I love it for now, Andrea, we'll see how much I love it when the categories get narrowed down. I have a distrubing vision of me desperately searching for a "Book Set in High School" come December!

5. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott - 4.0 ★
Category: 14 is the Age of Emmancipation - YA and Children's Literature
TIOLI #20: Author's First Name is Elizabeth



“I have been smashed and put back together so many times nothing works right. Nothing is where it should be, heavy thumping in my shoulder where my heart now beats.”

I had heard Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott described as disturbing but I really didn’t think it would bother me but, people, believe me when I say this book is very disturbing. A stark look at a young girl’s life after she has been abducted by a pedophile. She lives a life of terror and abuse that is very hard to read about. I think the author deserves kudos for delivering such a honest look at this brutal subject but the fact that this book is published as a YA is astonishing. I am not convinced that this is a YA book, at the very least I believe that a young girl would need a fair amount of discussion to understand what is going on here. I would definitely say this this is a book for the upper reaches of the YA audience.

The author pulls no punches as she tells Alice’s story in a unique style that is both riveting and effective. We are drawn into the mind of this young girl who has suffered not only physical and sexual abuse, but also has been physically forced to maintain a child’s body. Alice knows that there was a previous girl before her, and she knows that when that girl got too old she was murdered. Instead of scaring her, Alice longs for her time of release. When her abductor comes up with a plan for the two of them to kidnap another child, she is willing to go along with it in order to see the end of her suffering. It is chilling to read of how she helps to set up a young girl that she meets playing in a park, but at the same time, one can understand how she has been conditioned to help this monster.

I did not find that the author crossed any boundaries of taste, this is a difficult subject but one that we all know does happen. This is a short book but Living Dead Girl will be a book that I will not easily forget, and as a mother and grandmother I can only say that we can’t be vigilant enough with our young.

>168 DeltaQueen50:
You're a braver woman than I! Books about child abuse, murder, torture, etc. - those are all things on my taboo list. I once thought I should "get over it" as it's just fiction, but it's too stomach churning for me! And, then there's the part that always makes me wonder about the person who *wrote* about child abuse, murder, torture, etc. When it's done gratuitously, it's a cheap shot - manipulating the reader in only one way possible (you can only feel hatred for the perpetrator); But when the subject is the heart of the story, I wonder what warped hallways of the mind the writer had to walk.

Sounds like Scitt is a skille writer, but I think I'll skip this one for now. A little to dark for me, but I'd try something else by the author.

#169 - It wasn't an easy read, Tanya, but I am glad that I tackled it. I have read a lot of conflicting things about this book, many parents want it removed from library shelves, and I always like to make my own mind up over books like this. It is a very difficult subject and I am not sure when a book like this should be introduced to a child, but I certainly think most teens of 14 plus already know about this subject.

#170 - Totally understandable, Andrea. This was my first book by Elizabeth Scott, but I see she has quite a few others listed. It appears that she usually writes YA "issue" stories.

6. One of Ours by Willa Cather - 4.1 ★
Category: 14 Points for Reconstruction - War and It's Effects
American Author Challenge
January Random Cat: Janus Rules
January GeoCat: Canada and U.S.A.
TIOLI #15: A Book Set During the WW I Years
Book Bingo: A Forgotten Classic



One of Ours by Willa Cather was originally published in 1922 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1923. This is a book that tackles America’s place on the world stage before and during World War I and in a more intimate way, it is the story of a young American man who found his place of belonging upon the battlefields of France.

Claude Wheeler was often dissatisfied with his life. He was the son of a wealth Nebraska farmer, and at the story’s opening is attending classes at a religious college, but he is unhappy with the level of teaching. When he comes home, however, he feels a misfit in the small prairie town. When circumstances put Claude out in the fields he is discontented and longs for a different life. A definite pattern emerges around Claude and when he woos and marries Enid, this pattern continues. Personally, I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for Claude as I felt he made no effort to make any changes in his life, he just seemed to drift.

When his wife decides to go to China to nurse her ill missionary sister, he closes up his house and moves back home where is he generally fussed over by his mother and the family housekeeper. He becomes interested in current events and when America enters the war, Claude volunteers. As Lieutenant Wheeler, he matures into a much more likeable person, he becomes responsible and caring toward his men, interested in life and what is going on around him.

While Willa Cather does impart a sense of romance into her war story, I understand that this book was written as a tribute to a cousin that died during the war. Overall I enjoyed this story and can attest to the fact that her books stand the test of time. However, for me, her writing strength still remains the picaresque and vivid descriptions she paints of the American landscape.

>159 DeltaQueen50: I love the book bingo idea!~
If i had a computer printer, I would print it off in color, and post it on my (RL) wall, and check off each one as I read it.

Ru has me interested as well. The premise and the way it is told sound inventive. I will check my library for it.

#173 - Not that I want to tempt you, Megan, but there is a thread for the Reading Bingo over at the 75 Challenge. You just have to click HERE . Maybe you should come over and join us.

Judy here is a little bingo inspiration from Eleanor and Park set in a high school. ;-)

Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.

ETA: Megan said: If i had a computer printer, I would print it off in color, and post it on my (RL) wall, and check off each one as I read it. That is exactly what I am doing!

Thanks, Roberta. Eleanor and Park is on my wishlist and there I was wondering how I was going to find a book set in a high school!

Finally made it here, and caught up. Your threads are always the busiest, judy! 176 posts by january 13th is pretty impressive indeed. I have Ru on my list since before. Living dead girl sounds interesting in a scary kind of way, but like one of those reads that, once you pick up the book, the timing is never right for. Then again, books like that can be real punches in the gut once you do get to them. Fateless for instance, lingered on my shelves for almost a decade (you never really feel like a holocaust story, do you?) and ended up one of my top reads for that year.

Hi Anders and welcome to my thread. I find books like Living Dead Girl interesting although difficult to read when I am very aware that things like this do happen. Fatelessness was definitely another difficult read knowing the author was writing about his own experiences, but also the book was stronger due to that fact.

Great review of Living Dead Girl but I think I'll pass. It sounds a little like the YA Counterfeit Son, but perhaps a bit harder to read. As for not being YA, I hate to say it, but I think they can often handle things like this better than adults can. A Child Called It about gross child abuse is a perenial favorite. Even though it's usually considered an adult book, I see kids with it all the time. I've never seen an adult with it.

>174 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, thanks for the link to the Bingo thread. I can't resist! It's a good idea and probably will fit in the books I have already been reading this year. I will go and check it out.

#179 - Hi Katie, definitely pass on Living Dead Girl if the idea makes you uncomfortable. You are probably right, young people can often handle things that adults have difficulty with. I think along with being young comes that feeling of invincibility that fades as one gets older.

#180 - Your welcome, Ro, hope to see you over there.

7. The Food of Love by Anthony Capella - 3.3 ★
Category: 14 Days Paid Vacation - Global Reading
TIOLI #1: Title Contains Something Found In The Kitchen
YA Book Bingo: A Book With A Break-Up



The Food of Love by Anthony Capella is a light romance, a re-telling of the Cyrano de Bergerac story. It is also a tribute to Italian food and cooking. This is a book that is very difficult to read on an empty stomach as every other page concerns the cuisine of Rome. The plot is simple, waiter Tommaso wants to meet and bed the lovely American art student, Laura, who in turn has been disillusioned by Italian men and been advised to look for a chef, the idea being a man who slices, dices, braises and roasts is more apt to be a sensitive, sharing partner. Tommaso has a friend, Bruno, who is a chef, and thus begins the deception. Laura thinks all this wonderful food coming from the kitchen is the work of Tommaso, Bruno falls hopelessly in love with Laura and inspired by his love produces masterpiece after masterpiece, and Tommaso eventually tires of both the deception and of staying faithful to one girl. With a few other plot twists thrown in, The Food of Love was a enjoyable read that made my mouth water for an Italian meal.

@181 Judy, that's just what I was thinking. Since they feel invincible, they can read a book like that and think it has nothing to do with them. We read a book like that and think we're, thankfully, to old to be that person's victim, but we have several young people we care about that we can imagine that happening to too easily. They also don't have the experience we have, so they may not know that fictionalized violence is often based on fact, and often toned down. Ick.

Nice to see another LTer doing Random House's Book Bingo! I haven't succumbed yet (just because I'm already having trouble keeping track of all my current challenges), but I'm tempted.

Reading your review of The Food of Love makes me hungry for a good Italian meal too. I have fond memories of our family vacation to Italy a few years ago and of course, the food was a highlight.

The cover of the book plus the review made me hungry even though I just ate lunch.

#185 - Exactly, Katie, the eye-roll and shrug of "old people are worry-warts!

#184 & 185 - I went grocery shopping today and it's probably no surprise that I came home with some tortellini. :)

8. The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout - 3.4 ★
Category: Agatha & Friends - Classic Crime
January MysteryCats: Detectives
January GeoCat: Canada & The U.S.A.
TIOLI #12: Lead Investigator is a Detective
Book Bingo: A Book With a Mystery



Once again I had an enjoyable visit with Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin and all the characters that make up these wonderful detective stories. The League of Frightened Men will probably not go down as one of my favorites of the series, but any book that had Archie Goodwin as a main character, a roadster as a means of transportation, and calls a gun a “gat” is alright by me.

This second book of the series was more of a psychological study of a group of men who are bound together by an tragedy that happened during a hazing incident at university. Now one by one this group of men are dying and all are receiving anonymous notes that they are sure come from the hazing victim. The story was a little too drawn out and slow moving for me, however I enjoyed the amusing banter between Wolfe and Archie, although I felt at times that Archie was being a little thick and should have realized that a genius like Nero Wolfe would be two steps ahead of everyone else. I will definitely be continuing on with this series.

Judy, that one is definitely not my favorite Wolfe so I'm not surprised at your review at all. I'm glad you're going to continue with the series — it really does get better! (P.S. Archie Goodwin may be a tiny bit miffed that you have given him a new last name.) ;-)

#188 - Whoops! Where did I get Archie Fleming from??? Thanks Julia.

Judy> I've not read that many of the Nero Wolfe books. A lot of folks have read one this month for the private investigator theme to the MysteryCAT. I may eventually read a few more.

#190 - Lori, this is only my second Nero Wolfe and since I started with the beginning of the series these books were written in the 1930's and I love reading about that decade. It will be interesting as the series advances to see how the author deals with the changing times, or even if he does acknowledge it.

I read Fer-de-Lance,the first Nero Wolfe novel published, for one of my cats. My first impression is one of somewhat ambivalence: It was interesting from a historical fiction pespective, but I wasn't all that engaged with the story itself. Nonetheless, having heard that the stories do get better, I haven't dismissed the series as a whole and; if I were to come across a copy of The League of Frightened Gentlemen in one of my book foraging missions, I would pick it up :-)

Judy, it's interesting how Stout handles the time periods as the books were written from the 1930s to the 1970s. Basically, the characters stay the same age but the background and context is always contemporary with the time period in which the book was written. It sounds as if it shouldn't work but somehow it really does.

Tanya, if you're willing to give the Wolfe books another try, my sincere recommendation would be to skip The League of Frightened Men and move straight on to another, since this series does not in any way need to be read in order. The earliest great book, in my opinion, is Some Buried Caesar, although Too Many Cooks has a great deal to recommend it as well.

!!! from the 30s to the 70s? I'll try Stout eventually, but so far, he's been languishing on my WL.

Yes, Rex Stout lived to a ripe old age of 87 or so, I think. And writing was his second career, after doing something terribly important in banking whose details escape me now. He didn't publish the first Wolfe book until he was 48 years old, and went on to write 70-some novels and short stories in the series. Quite a life.

I'm hoping I inherited some of those Stout genes. My grandmother was a Stout and a distant cousin of Rex Stout. One of her sisters will turn 103 next month, and one of her brothers will turn 90 this year.

#192/193 - Tanya, I agree with Julia, it might be a good idea to skip The League of Frightened Men and try another one. TLoFM moves very slowly and I am sure there must be much better ones out there.

#193 - Julia, oh, that does sound good. I like the age the characters are right now so having them stay that way sounds like a good idea. If he had aged them can you imagine? A 70 year old Archie wouldn't be my idea of a man of action!

#194 - I know, Katie, so many books - so little time!!

#196 - That's quite a span of writing years he was able to get in!

#197 - Carrie I hope you've inheirited some of these genes as well. :)

9. The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston - 2.8 ★
Category: 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue - Historical Fiction
TIOLI #20: Author's First Name is Elizabeth
YA Reading Bingo: Book is Set in the Past



The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston is the second book in her historical romance series that is based on the Darcy’s, a well known name from Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice. I can assure you however, that these books will not bring Jane Austin to mind as, other than character names, they are quite different. Unfortunately instead of the charm that I found in the first book of the series, I found this story to be quite tedious.

The story jumps all over Europe as Alethea escapes her pervert of a husband, She and her maid disguise themselves as young men and flee to the continent to find sanctuary with one of her sisters. Along the way they fall into the company of Titus Manningtree, who sees through her disguise and also deduces exactly who she is. Impressed by Alethea’s courage and pluck he watches out for her and eventually ensures she returns safely to England without a scandal breaking out. Eventually, her wicked husband is removed from the picture and these two are then free to declare their love for each other.

I have a soft spot for good historical romance, but this book was over-written, over plotted and just plain unbelievable. I will not be continuing with the series as all this mediocre read did for me was make me wish that I had plucked a Georgette Heyer novel from the shelf instead.

I agree, Judy, Archie would not be quite so dashing and charming if he spent half the narrative complaining about his prostate or some such!

>198 DeltaQueen50: Sadly much of the recently written historical romance doesn't measure up to Georgette Heyer... thanks for the warning- I will avoid this one!

Judy, some great reviews here!

I am trying the book Bingo too, though not the YA one. It's a fun little extra.

#199 - Definitely!! :)

#200 - I was disappointed as I actually really liked the first book in the series and was hoping for more of the same. Unfortunately this second book didn't live up to it's promise.

#201 - Thanks, Terri, not sure if I will be able to fill in all the blocks on both the Bingos, I may have to give up on the YA one.

10. Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How They Came To America by Ruth Gruber - 4.2 ★
Category: 14 Newsworthy Facts - Non-Fiction Books
January GeoCat: Canada & the U.S. - Focus on Immigration
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: New Beginnings
Book Bingo: A Book of Non-fiction



In June of 1944, President Roosevelt announced that 1,000 refugees were going to be brought into the United States for asylum totally disregarding the current quotas. The matter was placed into the hands of Harold L. Ickes, the Secretary of the Interior who in turn decided to send Ruth Gruber to oversee the project.

Thus begins Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How They Came to America as Ruth Gruber tells the compelling story of this journey to rescue these Europeans who originally came from 18 different countries and bring them to safety in the United States. Ruth herself accompanied them every step of the way, from Italy to a camp in Oswego, New York. This trip was made under extremely dangerous conditions as the war was still very much underway. Ruth tells some of the refugees’ memorable stores here in this book, and these stories paint in riveting detail the suffering and persecution that these people suffered under Nazi control.

Once safety in the United States had been achieved, there was a secondary battle, one to allow these refugees to stay as immigrants and again Ruth guided these people through every step that needed to be taken. As one can see, at the heart of this book is Ruth. Her caring and respect for these downtrodden people shines on every page and she gives full meaning to the word humanitarian. I found this to be a very interesting story and, as in the words of poet Emma Lazarus, one more way that America said, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.“

That sounds like a fascinating book! I'll have to see if I can track down a copy.

>203 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for the review of what sounds like a fascinating part of history that I hadn't heard about.

And adding Bingo to my 2014 challenge is too tempting...now I'm off to check my shelf for a book with a blue cover...

#204 - Carrie, I really liked this book. I enjoyed learning about both the the refugees and about the author, who kept the story interesting and didn't spend any time stroking her own ego.

#205 - I love finding those small stories that play a part in history, yet are fairly unknown. So far, I am having a lot of fun filling the bingo cards, but I know that eventually it isn't going to be so easy.

That looks like a very interesting history book, Judy. Very nice review.

Judy, did the book explain why these thousand people were to be let in when so many more were denied entry?

I was thinking the same. 1000 sounds awfully little.

#207 - Thanks, Julia.

#208 - 209 - The decision to bring in 1,000 refugees was a carefully thought out plan by Roosevelt and his assistants. Apparently there was very vocal opposition to opening America up to take in European (mostly Jewish) refugees and they had to move carefully. There were so many refugees pouring into Italy from all over Europe at this time that they were getting in the way of the army advancement. In 1938, at the Evian Conference 32 countries (including America) had stood up, one by one, to explain why they could not accept refugees. Roosevelt was hoping that by making this gesture, other countries would also open their borders. Of course, their particular target was to get the British to open Palestine for Jews. Roosevelt was already thinking and planning ahead for when the war was over and where all the displaced Jews were to go.

11. The Tall Men by Will Henry - 4.0 ★
Category: Fourteen Hands - American West
January GeoCat: Canada & America
TIOLI #11: Title Has 2 of Something
Book Bingo: A Book That Has Been Made Into a Movie



The Tall Men by Will Henry is a true American western, dealing with cattle drives, Indians, and the hard men that live their lives under an wide sky and open prairie. Put these tall men together and add one female, the only survivor of a wagon train, and you have the recipe for mounting jealousy and tension.

After the Civil War Ben Allison and his brother Clint returned to Texas to find cattlemen were not needed. The market for beef had dropped so low that there was no money to be made shipping cattle to the eastern markets. With their livelihood all but gone they took to drifting and became outlaws. They were about to rob wealthy Montanan, Nathan Stark when he gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse. He had the money to buy cattle in Texas, they had the expertise to drive that cattle north to the mining camps of Montana where there was a guaranteed market. Ben jumped at this chance to go straight and get back into the business he loved. Thus begins the adventure and the fact that their route took them into the heart of the angry Sioux nation meant that confrontation was inevitable.

Author Will Henry was a master at his chosen genre and The Tall Men is a page-turner of adventure. And whether these men are battling a Texas blue northern on the plains, or the Sioux at a river crossing, the reader is guaranteed a fun and lively read.

I've read quite a few Westerns, Judy, but I've never heard of that author. It sounds like a book I'd enjoy very much.

#212 - He's a great author of westerns, Julia. He also spent time in Hollywood as a script writer. Some of his books were made into movies - The Tall Men, Yellowstone Kelly and Mackenna's Gold to name a few.

#211 Thanks for that review, I'll bear that name in mind!

#214 - You're welcome. :)

>103 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, great review on Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 World War II Refugees And How They Came To America. It's a part of WWII history that I don't know much about. It's going on the BB list.

#216 - Thanks, it's an interesting story and one that I probably would have missed if I hadn't been searching the library for books to fit the GeoCat.

12. The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell - 5.0 ★
Category: The Final Fourteen - Random Choice
January GeoCat: Canada & the U.S.A.
TIOLI #3: Book Has a Connection to the Number 14 (Number of Letters in Author's Name)



“Warning signs are flashing by but we pay no heed
Instead of slowing down the pace, we keep pickin’ up the
speed
Disaster’s getting closer every time we meet
Goin’ ninety miles an hour down a dead end street.”

Country music star, Hank Snow, had a hit with the song Ninety Miles an Hour Down A Dead End Street, and this very song kept playing in my head every time I picked up The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell. As the pages kept turning, I could see disaster coming and yet could not turn away.

This is a powerful book, written in a straight-forward take no prisoners style, with razor-edged dialogue that feels authentic and real. Set in the Missouri Ozarks, a place that seems to be a rule upon itself, the story is told by thirteen year old Shug Atkins who paints a grim picture of his life. He lives with his mother, Glenda and his so-called father, Red. Red spends most of his life either in jail or on his way to jail. He is a cruel, ignorant and brutal man. Glenda is a beautiful woman-child who gets through life by staying drunk. She calls Shug her Sweet Mister, and relies on him for most everything.

Without going into plot details, there are no rainbows on the horizon here. Made all the more emotional by it’s simplicity, The Death of Sweet Mister is a sad and merciless look at a life that seems destined for failure. Yet despite it’s bleakness, this was for me a stirring read that will long linger in my mind.

Wasn't The Death of Sweet Mister good? It's been awhile since I read it and the story still stays with me. And the ending was not what I'd thought, at all.

Popping in to say hello over here Judy.

A 5 star read! I keep seeing good things about this author. Maybe I'll give him a try one of these days, although I'm not sure if I'm the right reader for his style.

Haven sounds rather interesting.

#219 - I envisioned quite a different ending, too. I love author's that can surprise me, and boy, can he write!

#220 - Hi Roberta. :)

#221 - Carrie, Daniel Woodrell writes about the darker side of human nature. If you were to read one of his I don't know if this is the one to start with, perhaps Winter's Bone, if memory serves, it may have been a little more positive.

#222 - Lori, Haven is worth looking into.

How much longer can I keep saying I need to read Woodrell before I actually pick up one of his books!

#224 - Yep, you need to give him a try, Claire.

That one is going on my WL, even if it is sad. Great review!

Haven: The Dramatic Story of 1,000 World War II Refugees and The Death of Sweet Mister both sound really good, Judy. Great reviews!

I am now caught up with both of your threads! Happy Sunday, Judy!

Been a little under the weather the last few days as I have been struggling with a cold. Feeling a little better today, but am still planning on doing very little other than catching up here and reading.

#226 - Knowing the subject matter, I can't tell you to enjoy The Death of Sweet Mister, Jenn, but I hope the book gives you the excellent read that it did me.

#227 - Thanks Terri. These were two very different books but each one well worth reading.

#228 - That's exactly what I hope to do today, Lori, get caught up here!

Glad to hear you're feeling better, although sorry to hear that you've been unwell! There seem to be a lot of colds going around this year. Reading is definitely a good Rx! :)

13. The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman - 4.2 ★
Category: N Is The Fourteenth Letter
TIOLI #11: Two of Something In the Title
Book Bingo: A Book With a Female Author



Impressive in scope, The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman tells the story of Penitence Hurd, a young Puritan woman, who arrives in England from Massachusetts in the year of 1664, just a scant few months before the outbreak of the massive plague that was to bring London to its knees. This is a huge, gratifying book that captures the flavor of Restoration England, and paints a particularly vivid picture of what London life was like during this time.

Arriving penniless, and searching for a unknown aunt, Penitence is horrified when her search leads her to a house of ill-repute. Destitute, she has no chose but to stay, although only in the capacity of kitchen drudge and seamstress for the prostitutes. Cursed with a stutter, Penitence struggles to find a different line of work and leave the whorehouse, but by now the plague has taken a firm hold of the slums of London and soon she finds herself under quarantine for forty days. Her attic room is across the way from rooms rented by an actor, Henry King, and he teaches her to correct her stutter by wearing a vizard mask that allows her to hide behind, The author based her main character on a little known actress and she gives her many adventures that allow her to be in the middle of most events that occurred in Restoration England. Her life story carries her from the depths of the slums to the throne room itself.

My only complaint with this book was it’s length. At over 700 pages, I found my attention wandering a bit in places and I think this story would have been helped by paring it down to about 600 pages. That said, The Vizard Mask was a richly detailed historical fiction read that delivered a very memorable story.

#230 - Bad planning on my part had left me with two massive chunksters to finish for the month of January. So lying on the couch most of the last couple of days allowed me to plough through one of them. The Vizard Mask helped to while away the hours and kept my mind in Restoration England instead of feeling sorry for myself.

At least being sick had its advantages for you this time, Judy! Congratulations on getting through a 700-page book!

#233 - Feeling much better today, Julia, but didn't get much reading done as I spent way too much time here catching up! My other chunkster book is the 879 page The Passage and despite it's length, it's a real page turner.

I really liked The Passage, Judy. I'm glad I read it as an e-book because I actually had no idea it was so long! That might have stopped me from ever picking it up, and that would have been a shame.

I think that's why The Passage has lingered on my shelves so long. The sheer size of it had me intimidated. One of my goals this year, however, it not to shy away from those big books, and I am glad I picked it up, it's a hell of story.

14. The Passage by Justin Cronin - 4.6 ★
Category: 13th/14th Floor
January RandomCat: Janus Rules
TIOLI #7: Book Received As A Gift
Book Bingo: A Book That Scares You



The Passage by Justin Cronin is a monumental piece of fiction that is one of the few books I can say really scared me. Starting with a virtual 250 page introduction that shows us the terrifying possibility of medical experimentation that has gone wrong. Twelve men taken from death row have been used to create vampire-like beings that are killing machines with a blood lust and are practically immortal. A security breach unleashes this horrendous medically altered group who bring with them nights of carnage and violence. Within weeks, the world has been forever altered and all that remains are scattered survivors with a future dictated by fear.

Along with these twelve, there was one more, six year old Amy, an abandoned child who is brought to the mountain laboratory and used to incubate the latest version of the virus. Amy does change but not into a monster. Amy becomes something else, perhaps the last hope for mankind.

After the apocalypse, the story picks up again almost 100 years later. Amy has only aged to be a young teen and she stumbles into an enclave and before too long, a group has banded together to embark on a quest to find the secret behind Amy. There is a lot happening in this book, but the one constant is Amy, and while all the characters have unique voices and storylines, one quickly learns not to get too attached as death is a constant companion.

I found The Passage to be an intricate but always exciting and compelling read. The author’s writing has elevated this far beyond that of a simple dystopian story. He writes in an evocative, beautifully constructed style giving the reader both a suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of insurmountable odds. My quibbles are few. Firstly this book was exceeding long and, I accept that as there is a lot of story to tell, but my problem was that there was no resolution! There is no end, no wrapping up, no closing the book and feeling the story is complete. It just stops. I know this is the first volume in a trilogy, but I would have liked a little closure instead of being left totally in limbo.

Oh, oh, oooohhhh.... adding The Passage to my future reading list, even if there is no closure at the end!

Great review of The Passage, Judy! You've reminded me of all the reason I liked it so much. The second one, The Twelve, is also good if perhaps not quite so good in my opinion. I'm looking forward to the third one.

Judy - Your threads are always dangerous! I hope you feel better soon.

#238 - In case you didn't notice, I really liked the book, Lori. Of course I need to get the 2nd volume ASAP!

#239 - Thanks, Julia. I've heard from other sources (Mark) that the second one isn't as good. Isn't that often the way with trilogies, the 2nd one being the weakest.

#240 - I am feeling better, Roberta, and I actually went out as far as the grocery store today, tomorrow I may be really brave and get to the library!

>218 DeltaQueen50: While my progess in the fifty states challenge is painfully slow, I'm always on the lookout for "unusual states". Missouri isn't popping up too often, and Daniel Woodrell sounds like a writer to watch. Thanks for the tip. also, I've seen a lot of mention about The passage, but your review gives me an actual idea of this book, and makes me realise it just might be for me. Two BB's taken!

The passage sounds intriuging but I am going to hold off until I see a review of the second.. sounds like its going to be important that the next one is good too.

I'm glad you're feeling a little better! I hope you're completely recovered soon.

Once again, I love your categories! Starred :)

And I see your playing Reading Bingo too! Take a look at my Reading Category Challenges for this year ;)

#242 - Anders, I think Daniel Woodrell would be perfect for Missouri, I'm down to about five states left in that challenge but it's been simmering on my back burner for a few years now.

#243 - Claire, the reviews are mixed on the second book, The Twelve, but I do know that in most trilogies, the second volume is often the weakest, and I believe, the 3rd volume is due out this year sometime.

#244 - Thanks Carrie, I have a slight cough left but it actually cleared up pretty quickly. Both my youngest daughter and her husband are currently on antibiotics as they have developed bronchitus.

# 245 & 246 - Thanks, Mimi. I'm on my way to check out your thread.

15. Hart of Empire by Saul David - 3.1 ★
Category: 1492 Columbia Sailed the Ocean Blue
Reading Through Time Quarterly Theme: 19th Century
TIOLI #14: A Book Whose Cover is Dominated by the Color Red
Book Bingo: A Book From the Bottom of Your TBR Pile



Hart of Empire by Saul David is the sequel to Zulu Hart and I would class these books as historical adventures, very much in line with authors like Simon Scarrow and John Wilcox. In this book George Hart is asked by Prime Minister Disraeli to undertake a secret mission in Afghanistan. As George Hart is half Zulu his dark skin will allow him to disguise himself and travel undercover. His mission is to steal the religious icon that is the Prophet’s Cloak in order to prevent it from falling into the hands of religious extremists.

Of course his travels includes a trusty, eagle-eyed Pathan guide and a beautiful but dangerous princess, who has an agenda of her own. They embark on a series of adventures as they race against time to prevent a tribal uprising while protecting British interests. As this book is written in 2010, the author has many extra insights into the problems facing any country that tries to involve itself into the intricate political and religious factions of Afghanistan.

The author, Saul David is an historian whose focus is on wars of the Victorian Era and so he knows the background and the period details of what he is writing about. He is also well able to write action scenes and puts plenty of them in his books. Unfortunately, his characters are fairly one dimensional, but if you are in the mood for an adventure yarn his books make for a fun read.

>248 DeltaQueen50:, Hart of Empire sounds interesting, rather like a more modern version of The Far Pavilions.

I would say Hart of Empire is more of a Boy's Own Adventure read than the sweeping romance of The Far Pavilions. You've just reminded me how much I loved The Far Pavilions when I read it many years ago.

Since we have just embarked on a new month, this seems the perfect time to start up a new thread which I am off to do now.

ETA: My new thread is now open and ready for visitors. Please drop by and say hello.