Mamzel's 2014 Challenge of the Books - Part Deux

I just realized that I have my totals post twice so I'm going to post my series rewatches here. Some may be DVRed and some Netflixed.



Farscape is being shown on the Pivot channel so when there is nothing else of interest to watch, I watch this Australian scifi series in the order recorded.



West Wing floored me when it was first aired with its excellent, intelligent script (and the handsome young Rob Lowe). I am rewatching this series on Netflix.



I watched Warehouse 13 faithfully the first couple of seasons but for some reason missed some. In anticipation of a new season, they have been showing the series and I have them collected in my DVR and I am remembering why I liked it so much before.



I have enjoyed this Canadian scifi series as it pops up here and there, most recently on the Syfy Channel. Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) is one kick-ass lady!

Time for a new thread already! Time does fly!
Thanks to all who follow me here.

1. Blips - LT recommendations -3
2. Buoyancy - mysteries - 4
3. Flying Dutchman - horror - 3
4. ITB - cross genre -4
5. Keel - classics from 1001 book list - 2
6. Foreign Flag - non-American authors - 6
7. Orlop Deck - books from TBR list -3
8. Catamaran - science fiction - 2
9. Ship's Log - non-fiction - 7
10. Galley - food related - 1
11. Breakbulk - miscellaneous - 1
12. Fleet - group reads
13. Ship's hold - YA -2313a. HUB Challenge - 22
14. Poop Deck - books not finished -2

Total read: 61

Favorites (4.5 - 5 stars)



The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (2014)
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (2013)
Kraken by China Miéville
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (2010)

BLIPS - books that have been on my radar for a while. It will be interesting to see if I can keep up with the titles I'll keep adding.

1. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers (1995)

PROPOSED:
1. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - moved to group reads category
2. The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Dìaz
3. Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch Midnight Riot read 6/14/14
4. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino - read 1/20/14
5. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
6. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

BUOYANCY - explanation of the mystery of why such huge ships can float - mysteries



1. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (2014)
2. Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith (2013)
3. Ripper by Isabel Allende (2014)
4. The Leopard by Jo Nesbø (2009, translated to English 2011)

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN- ghost and horror stories



1. S. by Doug Durst and J.J. Abrams (2013)
2. Signal to Noise by Neil Gaiman (1999)
3. The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure (2013)

ITB (Integrated Tug-Barge) - more than one genre (The last ship I worked on was similar to this. It carried petroleum products like gasoline and jet fuel.)



1. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (2013)
(historical fiction and fantasy)
2. Raiders of the Nile by Steven Saylor (2014)
3. The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher (2014)
4. Kraken by China Miéville (2010)

KEEL - the backbone of the ship - classic literature - from the 1001 books challenge



1. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (originally 1853)
2. Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams (1991)

FOREIGN FLAG - name given to a ship flying a flag other than U.S. - non-American authors



1. Hild by Nicola Griffith (2013)
2. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino (orig. pub. 1979, translated 1981)
3. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith (2013) audiobook
4. Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson (1934)
5. Miss Buncle Married by D.E. Stevenson (orig. 1936)
6. The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg (2008)

ORLOP DECK - where my ROOTs are stowed!



1. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg et al (2011)
2. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (2013)
3. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (2008)

CATAMARAN - science fiction (referring to the amazing technology that went into the recent America's Cup boats)



1. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (2013)
2. Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson (2014) (Steampunk)

SHIP'S LOG - legal documentation of ship's voyages - nonfiction



1. Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration by Ann Bausum (2008)
2. Ghosts in the Fog: The Untold Story of Alaska's WWII Invasion by Samantha Seiple (2011)
3. The Normans: From Raiders to Kings by Lars Brownworth (2014)
4. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (2000)
5. Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar (2013)
6. Neighborhood Heroes: Life Lessons from Maine's Greatest Generation by Morgan Rielly (2014)
7. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (2010)

GALLEY - food related (cookbooks, etc.)



1. Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Ross (2013)

BREAKBULK- freighters that can carry just about any cargo - anything that doesn't fit another category. (This ship is very similar to the first one I worked on, the Export Ambassador, in 1978.)



1. Breadfruit by Celestine Vaite (2006)

FLEET - a group of ships - I will record my successfully completed group reads here.



PROPOSED:
Middlemarch - first quarter
Bleak House - January - 1/10/14
The Picture of Dorian Gray - One Librarything One Book
Enrique's Journey - January GEOCAT
Cantebury Tales - second quarter
Bel Canto - March
Maddaddam - Atwood in April
The Prague Cemetery - Eco in May 5/22/14
Unbroken - November b(jumped the gun and read in June)/b



SHIP'S HOLD - where the cargo is held - the bulk of my reading which is usually YA fiction (This is a hold on a bulk carrier which would carry items such as coal, iron ore, loose grains, etc. The second and third ships I worked on were bulk carriers.)

1. The Good Braider by Terry Farish, read by Cherise Boothe (2014)
2. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (2011)
3. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (2013), narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra


**Subcategory - Books read for the HUB challenge

1. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (2013)
2. Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (2013)
3. "The President Has Been Shot!" by James L. Swanson (2013)
4. Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (2013)
5. In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters (2013)
6. Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (2013)
7. Winger by Andrew Smith (2013)
8. Zombie Baseball Beatdown by Paolo Bacigalupi, read by Sunil Malhotra (2013)
9. Scowler by Daniel Kraus (2013)
10. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (2013)
11. Courage Has No Color by Tanya Lee Stone (2013)
12. Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks (2013)
13. The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks (2013)
14. Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos (2013)
15. Dodger by Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs, (2012)
16. Dogs of War by Sheila Kennan & Nathan Fox (2013)
17. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan (2013)
18. Will & Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge (2013)
19. Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd (2013)
20. Lexicon by Max Barry (2013)
21. MIND MGMT #1 by Matt Kindt (2013)
22. I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak (orig. 2002 in Australia)

POOP DECK - Category inspired by BookLizard - books that fail the Pearl Rule and/or get thrown against a bulkhead!



The Portrait of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde - unless I get back to it at a later date. Mr. Wilde is really, really full of his own brilliance. I was blinded.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (2013), narrated by Tom Hollander, DNF - I will not return to finish this book. It may work better in print than audio but I won't live long enough to find out.

Shiny new thread!

Happy new thread! Interesting that you managed to finish Bleak House and have set aside Dorian Gray, whereas I finished Dorian Gray but have set aside Bleak House. Between us we've finished them both ;)

I'm now 18th on the holds list for the new Flavia. Very excited to see that you rated it as a favourite :)

Happy new thread!

Mstrust & Eva, thanks and welcome.

RB, I might get back to DG. I'm guessing I might be closer to finishing than you ;-) Bleak House was quite the behemoth and I tackled it when I had lots of time for it.

Congrats on the new thread! Winger sounds awful, I think I might have thrown it at the wall anyway, even if it did belong to the library. But I've also put in an ILL request for In the Shadow of Blackbirds based on your review.

Happy new thread!

Inge - I hope you enjoy Blackbirds. It was pleasantly different and interesting.

Lori - thanks for stopping by!

Nice new digs! :) I can't remember if I've already mentioned this, but I'm very excited that Rose Under Fire is one of your favorite reads of the year! I loved Code Name Verity, and I'm definitely planning to read this sequel sometime in 2014!

Christina - I have to wonder if Ms. Wein will be able to continue writing stories about such amazing young women!

Speaking of amazing young women, my coworker turned me on to a wonderful Australian series called Miss Fisher's Mysteries. I found them on Netflix and wiled away a few hours this weekend enjoying them.

@ 20 -- mamzel, if I'm not mistaken, that series is based on the Phryne Fisher books by Kerry Greenwood! Cocaine Blues is the first one. I haven't read them, but I have heard only good things!

Christina - They are! Phryne (pronounced FRY-nee) is a very progressive, smart, independent, sexy woman and the series takes place in Melbourne in the 20s. In the first program her very young, innocent, Catholic maid finds her diaphragm container under her bed. It seems to be a theme that gorgeous young men end up bleeding to death in her arms. And the outfits!!!

100% agree on Ms Fisher! She's great.

I love the Australian TV series, the Miss Fisher's Mysteries!!! My other half was kind of rolling his eyes when we watched the first episode but by episode four, even he was ignoring his computer and watching the show with me. ;-)

So many people know about this series but where was I when it aired? Who knows! I've found it now!



Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (2013)

Miss Connolly, our old teacher, always said start your story at the beginning. Make it a clean window for us to see through. Though I don't think that's what she meant. No one, not even Miss Connolly, dares write about what we see through that smeared glass.

I knew nothing about this short book and so found it confusing with teachers beating children, an astronaut hiding in the basement, and random drawings of flies and rats on the pages. I just accepted things as they happened trusting that they would fall into place. And they did.

Standish Treadwell can't read and has been classified as unteachable. The author deals with dyslexia so makes her character deal with an unnamed disability. Standish goes to school in Zone 7 where people survive on scraps and most of the dwellings have been flattened. The children are beaten by overzealous teachers. Everyone is looking forward to a broadcast of the Motherland's moon landing, proof that their country is superior to others.

Oddly enough, one of the astronauts happens to be hiding in Standish's basement. The moon landing is a PR hoax and Standish is determined to let the world know it.

This is a very short book and is definitely worth a little time to enjoy a new voice.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
PRINTZ HONOR BOOK

Courage Has No Color by Tanya Lee Stone (2013)

What is it like to jump out of an airplane?

Well, we learn about that and how it felt to be the first black men to join the armed forces as something other than an orderly or a cook. While written for a younger audience, this book can be enjoyed by any lover of history (and I say that as someone who doesn't love history).

This quote by Walter Morris sums up their struggle:

"I was struck with a sudden understanding of my reason for being there. Why would a black man risk his life to help his country? The answer was simple. This is my country; this is my duty regardless of the social climate; regardless of the faults. This is my country, my children's country, and their children's. It is up to me and many, many people of all races and cultures to fight the haters and racists to make this a better place to live."

The only problem I had with this book came near the end when the wording almost made it sound like the experiences of these men resulted in desegration and the election of a black president.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
BEST NONFICTION

Arriving a little late to your new thread, but congratulations both for it and for all the good reading you have been getting this year so far. I am going to have to track down those Miss Fisher Mysteries!

Hi, D.Q. - I mentioned the Miss Fisher series because I thought my fellow LTers would enjoy them. I hope you can find them.

So, I was a bad, bad girl yesterday and succumbed to the latest Storybundle offering. I came away with the following:
Monarch of the Glen by Neil Gaiman
The Camelot Papers by Peter David
Mythword: Book One by James A. Owen
Bloodletting by Peter J. Wacks
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
Spirit Walker by David Farland
The Sacrifice: First Book of the Fey by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson

>20 mamzel: Happy that you enjoyed them, we watched it last year and had fun. She's, for sure, a spunky lady !

Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers (1995)

There were roses on the bench: they looked like splashes of blood.

This was my first taste of Sir Peter Wimsey and it won't be my last! Most of it was read in the wee hours when I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep so it took me a while to finish it.

Sir Peter takes the case of a young woman who has been accused of poisoning a man and the clock is ticking until her sentencing and execution. He enlists the help of a group of women (which is why I started with this book) who are brave and clever and can infiltrate to learn inside information.

Sir Peter is clever and I loved all his speeches. I will definitely be back for more of him and his ladies.

CATEGORY: BLIPS (LT RECOMMENDATIONS)

Have you considered Murder Must Advertise? Peter works undercover at an advertising agency, and he's very good at it. And the copy they produce is hilarious!

I will keep that one in mind. I'm hoping (Amazon, are you listening?) that they'll offer the series at a reduced price one day. I wouldn't mind stocking up at a lower cost at all.

Sneaking in a couple of graphic novels for quick reads:



Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks (2013)

message on phone reads 'I'm breaking up with you. Holly.'

Charlie's parents are divorced. He lives with his often absent father and his mother has moved to San Diego. He is friends with the president of the robotics club, Nate. The club has a dream of attending a robotics fair but they are competing for funds with the cheerleaders who want new uniforms. The decision of who gets the money will be made by the students council so Nate has the brilliant idea to run for president. When the cheerleaders find out they nominate the unwilling Charlie. Charlie arrives at a brilliant idea to team up with the cheerleaders who will advance them money to participate in a robot battle in order to win first prize so both groups will get what they need. What could possibly go wrong?

Fast, fun read.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
GREAT GRAPHIC NOVEL

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan (2013)

You can't know what it is like for us now - you will always be one step behind.

Commenting on the story as it evolves is a ghostly host of gay men who have gone through all of what our young men are experiencing and who have died of AIDS. They wish they could give the live boys encouragement and hope and are frustrated when they can't.

Craig and Harry used to be a couple but aren't any more. Their friend, Tariq, suffered a hate crime and to highlight the problem they are setting out to break the world record for longest kiss. On the lawn of their high school. Streaming live on the internet. We also meet Peter and Neil who are a couple and Avery (a transsexual) and Ryan who are starting to create a relationship. And there is tragic Cooper who is lost, lonely, and suffering. Pretty much a cross section of gay youths.

And a representative cross section of family and friends who support/deny/try to understand/accept and generally run the gamut of emotions from having a gay acquaintance.

What is the most beautiful part of the story is how Harry helps Craig reach their goal even though he had always thought that Craig was the stronger of the two. And the spontaneous support they got from family and community members.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD
STONEWALL HONOR BOOK (BOOKS WITH EXCEPTIONAL MERIT RELATING TO THE GLBT EXPERIENCE)

34. Sounds really good. I like David Levithan's books, they are always very real when it comes to human emotions and personalities. I'll keep an eye out for this one.

Mamzel I so behind on the threads but I have caught up here. Lots of good reading that you are doing. I almost gave up on Dorian Gray but I slogged through it. I did Pearl Rule Chapter 11. Goodness but it was so overly detailed and I wanted to poke my eyes out!

You caught me with The Chronicles of Harris Burdick over in your first thread.

>34 mamzel: this book looks on topic with the film I saw last night, The Dallas Buyers Club. The main character came to meet and ultimately befriend members of the GLBT community, going against his own in-ground homo-phobia. It was a good story and not sappy or over sentimental.

I have heard of the author of Two Boys Kissing but know not why....off to investigate.
eta: adjusted spoiler thingie to make it less of a spoiler :) And after investigation no idea why I have heard of Levithan, but be just from general LT name-bandying-about.

Luvamystery,
I had bought that book from a sale table at my neighborhood book store and thought I'd keep it for my "grandmother shelf". The drawings by Van Allsburg are so captivating.

Iread, I haven't had a chance to watch that movie yet but I'll watch for it to come out on cable. I heard it was good. I've mentioned Levithan as an example of a good GLBT writer for teens, addressing all of the many difficult issues they face. What was really touching was the audience of deceased AIDS victims who wanted so badly to console and counsel the boys.

I'm behind on visiting threads. I also had to Pearl Rule The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks (2013)



Instead of a first line I am treating you to one of the strips in this amusing graphic novel. It features Superhero Girl, a young woman who can't fly but can leap tall buildings (up to 11 stories high) and can kick butt. She deals with normal stuff like paying rent and an annoying older brother who can fly.

These strips first appeared online and can now be enjoyed in book form. And enjoy them I did! I laughed out loud several times. The monocled bear was a hoot!

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS

Hee, I'm reading the comics online. I like the one where the guy's asking about her "origin story".

>39 BookLizard: It's on my Kindle with the page marked so some day, when the mood strikes, I may go back to it. (Yeah, right!)

>41 rabbitprincess: They are funny, aren't they? Wait to you get to the bear! Did you know about the series before?

Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos (2013)

I yawp most mornings to irritate my father, the Brute.

James Whitman (no relation to Walt) calls his mother the Banshee. His sister was kicked out of the house after being expelled so he in on the receiving end of all of the parental attention. Now he is suffering from depression and would like his sister to return to school so she could walk the stage and even return home. He starts to ask around to see what actually happened that day she fought a girl and sent her to the hospital. What he discovers gives him new strength and resolve to overcome his own problems.

What I particularly appreciated about this book was how he loved Whitman's poetry and knew enough to be able to relate stanzas and whole poems to events as they occurred around him. I also liked how he became involved in the school's annual poetry publication and helped transfer it to a more modern online version.

I would recommend this book to YA readers who enjoy angst like others enjoy peanuts.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
MORRIS AWARD (DEBUT AUTHOR)

I enjoy angst. That one's going on the booklist.

I had the nicest treat this morning. When I was setting up my coffee I looked outside and saw the cutest pair of Mallard ducks serenely paddling around in the pool. They're gone now, probably off to their nesting place.

How sweet! I was at a plant sale this morning and saw a hummingbird feeding from the flowers. Nice that the bird world is enjoying a Spring day.

#30 I love Dorothy L. Sayers! Glad you enjoyed it!

>42 mamzel: This thread was the first I'd heard of the series. Very fun!

>47 Hanneri: I will definitely try to read some more of this author.

>48 rabbitprincess: glad to share something that gave you a smile. My job is done.

Attn: Kindle owners
There is a special offer today for 5 titles by Italo Colvino for $1.99 each. I caved in and ordered Italian Folktales.

Ripper by Isabel Allende (2014)

"Mom is still alive, but she's going to be murdered at midnight on Good Friday," Amanda Martín told the deputy chief, who didn't even think to question the girl' she'd already proved she knew more than he and all his colleagues in Homicide put together.

There's nothing like a little foreshadowing, is there? There are many problems with this book as a mystery as regular mystery readers are quick to point out. In the first chapter alone, there are glaring examples of civilians mishandling evidence (in a particularly gruesome manner).

This begs the question, should this book really be considered a mystery? At almost 500 pages, there are detailed descriptions of the main characters, some of the secondary characters, as well as their pasts and how their paths intersect. So maybe it could be considered a character driven story with a serial murder at the helm of their lives.

Allende got into hot water with comments on NPR that were disparaging to the mystery genre. I was able to see her in person at a book signing. That event showed me that she is much better at writing than speaking. There was a large contingency of teens at that event, members of an AP Spanish class at a local high school. On one hand she made it perfectly clear that the book was not intended for teens (and I can second that) but she did acknowledge them by speaking to them in Spanish.

I got the book signed with the intent of putting it in my work library but I won't. Even though the main character is a teen, I really doubt that my teens would enjoy the extensive character building that takes up most of the pages. For that reason it will be enjoyed by adults who will appreciate her detailed relationships and have fun with the mystery and action on the side.

CATEGORY: BUOYANCY (MYSTERY)

I'm on spring break this coming week and hope to get some adult reading done (I've been really heavy in YA lit) and taking advantage of my HMO. I will also be trying to do some spring cleaning and maybe attack some of that ivy in my backyard while it's still cool enough to work outside.

Enjoy your break! :D

Perhaps Allende has found that writing a good solid mystery isn't a "joke" or the easiest thing to do.

Hooray for Spring Break!!

>53 rabbitprincess: and >55 DeltaQueen50: It seems that they are trying their best to make me spend my vacation visiting one doctor or another, or having another test or class. Quite a merry-go-round. It's no fun getting old, folks. Hopefully I'll be pretty well leveled out this week. This is what I get for ignoring them all until now.

>54 mysterymax: The SF Chronicle favorably reviewed the book which is what made so excited to get it and see her. I think the people who stomped on it hardest may be the ones most used to a different rhythm in their mysteries. I thought it was odd that one book store returned her books unsold. With book stores struggling as it is, I would think that even bad press is good press and would bring in curious readers.

Dodger by Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs, (2012)

The rain poured down on London so hard it seemed that it was dancing spray, every raindrop contending with its fellows for supremacy in the air and waiting to splash down.

I listened to the audio version of this book on CD and I think I actually enjoyed it more than if I had read it. The reader, Stephen Briggs, had the proper British accent to bring it to life with Cockney and even German accents for the various characters. His accent was so British it took a while to get used to it and just listen to the words. He reminded me a little of Michael Caine.

What was so wonderful about this book was the perfectly executed historical setting. Pratchett was extremely careful to ensure that all references were timely and no anachronisms were noticed. The afterword let the reader know exactly which of the characters were real and which fictional.

Dodger is a young man who makes his living as a "tosher", one who searches the sewers for loose change and even the occasional piece of jewelry that has been washed from the streets. One evening he hears a woman screaming and emerges from below in time to fight off her two attackers. Two men arrive on the scene and quickly see that Dodger was her savior and helps get the young woman to safety. They just happened to be Charles Dickens and Henry Mayhew. Dodger manages to keep his natural tendencies at bay as they bring him into their home and he is surrounded by any number of liftable items. He does this because he becomes instantly attracted to the mysterious young woman and wishes to stay near her. Who she was and who was trying to hurt her leads this new friendship into danger and adventure galore.

What makes this book so wonderful is the plethora of historical figures that make appearances (Queen Victoria and the infamous barber, Sweeney Todd among them) and the details of everyday life of both the underworld and more illustrious Londoners. It made me smile when references to Dickens' works were made, like Bleak House and Oliver Twist. (I'm sure there were more that I didn't catch.)

I highly recommend this book and the audio version if you can find it.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)

I'm glad to see you enjoyed reading Dodger. I bought it for a friend's birthday last year because it seemed like just his kind of thing but I've never read it myself so didn't know how good or bad it was. Sounded great though, and now with your review I might have to steal from my friend and read...

>58 PawsforThought: Do!!



The Normans: From Raiders to Kings by Lars Brownworth (2014)

I received this book from the Early Reviewers program.

In the year 793 the monks of Lindisfarne priory were interrupted from their evening meditations by an astonishing sight. Fiery dragons appeared in the night sky, wheeling menacingly above the island monastery before vanishing into the darkness.

I was probably not the best person to review this book since I have never enjoyed reading histories but this sounded like it would be more than a recitation of dates, battles, and family trees. I faithfully and doggedly read every word of the first half of the book but I found I was glazing over when more battles and sieges and fights for power kept coming and I probably only scanned the last half of the book. Again, I'm not a fan of history. My apologies.

I recognize the research that went into this book. Considering that few people had the ability to write in those days it must have required quite a lot of digging and relying on other researchers' digging. Unfortunately, what loomed up in my mind was how this history so paralleled the Game of Thrones series!

By all means, if you are a fan of military history books, run out and get this informative book.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S LOG

Hope you've been enjoying your spring break! >51 mamzel: Looks like I'll have to add this to the TBR...the only other Allende I've read is The House of Spirits; I loved it, and the character building in particular.

>60 aliciamay: Historical fiction is truly her forté. Take a look at Zorro and Daughter of Fortune.



The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (2013)

The Golem's life began in the hold of a steamship.

What a positively delicious book! The kind that completely immerses you while you are reading it and haunts you when you are not. A wonderful combination of historical fiction and fantasy. A love story that didn't make me gag.

Chava is a golem, a figure of Jewish mythology that is created from clay. Ahmed is a jinni, a figure of Arab mythology. They are both far from they homes of Eastern Europe and Syria in a city bursting with new immigrants, New York, in the 1890s.

That they end up meeting and forming a relationship is a wondrous tale with good guys helping them and bad guys after them.

If you have not already, I highly recommend you read this book!

CATEGORY: ITB (MORE THAN ONE GENRE)

I have had my eye on The Golem and the Jinni since it first came out.... and now because I have just discovered that it would be a perfect fit for the Reading Bingo "A Book With Non-Human Characters" square. Very happy to see the 4 star rating you have given it. ;-)

Everyone keeps posting good reviews of The Golem and the Jinni and I've been hit so many times with that particular book bullet my bullet proof vest looks like Swiss cheese. I'm going to have to get hold of that one.

>61 mamzel: Add me to the growing number who has tried to avoid this book but no longer can. How do you get me with the book bullets?

Thanks for the Allende recommendations! Don't know how I've avoided Zorro for so long.

I know how a book gets many good comments and we feel we're missing out on a good thing. Hence my radar category. I've got a bunch and keep getting new ones frequently. This is a good one to keep reminding folks about. You'll love it when you get to it.

>65 aliciamay: The first of her books I read we're the series she wrote for middle schoolers. They were a fun blend of action and fantasy. I can't get kids to read them these days, however, and I have them in English and Spanish.

I just downloaded The Audible version of Dodger Hopefully I will be able to get around to listening it some time next month.

The The Golem and the Jinni has been on my wish list for a while, maybe I need to jump it up to near the top.

Zozette, if at first the reader grates on you (he did me) give him some time. I think maybe it took him a while to get over himself and settle down and let the story take over. I would definitely suggest you move TGatJ up your list!

The Good Braider by Terry Farish, read by Cherise Boothe (2014)

Viola remembers the smell of dirt on the banks of the Nile. Her mother's fingers on her head, twisting her hair into braids. Her grandmother's stories of elephants' songs.

I received this audiobook through the Early Reviewers program. Thanks, folks!

Viola and her family lived in southern Sudan, a country torn apart by violence and famine. Nights were spent fearfully listening for footsteps that might mean death. She lived with her mother, grandmother, and brother. Her mother saved enough money for three of them to travel by foot to Cairo leaving Viola's precious grandmother behind. In Cairo they waited in a camp for a paper giving them refugee status and a flight to the U.S. Her brother did not survive to get on the plane.

In Portland, Maine, Viola and her mother were taken in by the Sudanese community which gave them housing, and clothing and food to get on their feet. Eventually her mother got work at a chicken processing plant and Viola was able to fulfill her dream of going to school.

This is a story of the modern immigrant with the extreme contrasts of desert to snow, fundamental Islamic society to a modern American society, constant fear to being embraced by strangers.

The narrator went from the flat American accent to a lilting Sudanese accent with ease. An image of the Somali model, Imam, flashed in my head. An afterword by the author gave insight to the political struggle that has plagued the area.

Fabulous story, sure to be avoided by teens to their loss.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (YA BOOKS)

The Good Braider sounds very interesting and I am adding it my wishlist.

I've added The Good Braider to my wish list too.

Nice or see such a positive review of The Golem and the Jinni - might need to move it up my wishlist.

Always glad to share my favorite books with friends. I've recommended TGatJ to anyone who will listen to me around here. I will keep an eye out for a used copy to put in the library.

Raiders of the Nile by Steven Saylor (2014)
Gordianus the Finder No. 2 - Ancient World

Like any young Roman who found himself living in the most exciting city on Earth - Alexandria, capital of Egypt - I had a long list of things I wanted to do, but taking part in a raid to steal the golden sarcophagus of Alexander the Great had never been among them.

I gorged myself on Saylor's original Gordianus series, featuring an older man whose job as a Finder, brought him in contact with many historical figures and to many historical events. Not finished with the character, however, Saylor has started a new series with a young Gordianus gadding about the ancient world. This is the second episode of the new series.

Gordianus and Bethesda are enjoying a visit to Alexandria, even though the feeling in the city is tense and riots are apt to break out any moment. They chance upon a group of actors (mimes) performing in the street and he can't help but notice how the acrobatic actress resembles Bethesda. Later they enjoy meeting them and after sharing a meal, Gordianus takes a snooze in the sun. When he wakes he discovers that the actress has vanished and Bethesda has been kidnapped. It seems that Bethesda was mistaken for the actress.

Tracking down the kidnappers leads Gordianus to a lair of bandits known as the Cuckoo's Nest deep in the Nile delta. The charismatic leader devises a daring plan to steal the golden sarcophagus of Alexander the Great and then move his clan to Crete, away from the unsettled city. Gordianus participates only as a way to save his beloved Bethesda.

Steven Saylor is a great researcher and has a great talent to immerse the reader in the ancient world without feeling at all like a history lesson. I can't recommend these series enough!

CATEGORY: ITB (CROSS GENRE) HISTORY & MYSTERY

Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Ross (2013)

Minneapolis was having a blustry spring evning on April 8, 1999, when a long line of town cars and taxis pulled up to the office complex on South 6th Street and discharged their well-dressed passengers. These eleven men were the heads of America's largest food companies. Among them, they controlled seven hundred thousand employees and $280 billion in annual sales. And even before their sumptuous dinner was served, they would be charting a course for their industry for years to come.

At this point in my life I think that reading this book will help me a lot! There are many of tricks and strategies that stores and food companies employ to persuade us to buy and eat much more than we need that I already knew but had always ignored convinced that I was smart and could regulate myself. Recently I have discovered that I have failed. And failed miserably!

I now feel that I have been manipulated and I feel like such a fool. And I consider myself to be educated and well read. There's no way I will go back to my previous bad habits again. In fact, I can't. At least this book gives me a sense of justification and commitment that I didn't have before.

I can't recommend this book enough. To us baby boomers, to parents, to educators. And I would especially like to send a copy to every district superintendent in the U.S. And every Representative and Senator. Things must change!

When companies like Campbell say they will not compromise on taste in lowering the salt, sugar, or fat content of their products, they're not thinking about the consumer's welfare; they're thinking about sonsumption and sales.

CATEGORY: GALLEY (FOOD RELATED)

I took a little break from the HUB challenge but I have to return these books to the library.



Dogs of War by Sheila Kennan & Nathan Fox (2013)




This is a drawing of the military dog named Boots who accompanied his (very) young master into the trenches of World War I. Boots helped by locating soldiers on the battlefield who were still alive. Loki was a sled dog during World War II who served at an airfield/weather station. Sheba was a heroic soldier in the Vietnam War. We meet her through flashbacks of her handler who returned to the U.S. with PTSD (not so named at the time). He had to leave Sheba behind which added to his problems. A young boy and an energetic puppy named Bouncer helped to get the vet get back to a better place.

This book was very well done. The stories were riveting and I could envision it leaping off the shelves into hands of boys with the double draw of war and dog stories. I'll admit to wiping a tear away with the last story.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)

Another graphic novel that has to back to the library!



Will & whit by Laura Lee Gulledge (2013)



Wilhelmina (Will) is a bright young woman about to start her senior year of high school. She has recently lost her parents in a car accident and lives with her cool, antique-selling aunt but she is still struggling to come to terms with her loss. Whitney (Whit) is a hurricane bearing down on her town. When they lose power, the teens have to do without their normal activities and *gasp* actually talk to one another. One group puts on a carnival in an abandoned warehouse and Will helps by coming up with sources of light.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS

War Brothers by Sharon McKay and Daniel LaFrance (2013)



As one can easily guess, this is a dismal story of the tragedy when grown men can't attract enough followers and have to stoop to stealing children and turning them into soldiers by brutal means. Jacob is a 14-year old Ugandan boy who attends a boarding school that is raided by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). The boys are kidnapped and forced to become soldiers by killing or being starved or killed themselves.

Jacob never loses the hope of rescue and manages to form a small band including the camp cook (an ear-less girl) and a grownup who has shown them compassion. Even upon their return they are viewed with fear and suspicion. A common modern-day occurrence that is a crime of the highest order.

I think the book, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah would be a more serious introduction to child soldiers and it would be my hope that more astute students might be able to see the relationship between this "army" and gangs.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS OF 2013

I was cruising through the library yesterday when I spotted the shelf containing Jo Nesbo's books. I now understand why so many here have raved about his books. I'm starting in the middle (darn not having checked the order of the books) with The Leopard but will definitely go back and fill in the blanks, probably on my Kindle, probably this summer. So many references to the Snowman not to be intrigued!

Most recent Game of Thrones - Happy dance!
Ding, dong, the King is dead.
Which old king?
The Joffrey's dead!
Ding, dong, the wicked king is dead!

I probably don't want to know, but I'm going to go ahead and put Salt, Sugar, Fat on the wishlist.

>80 mamzel:
Right!!!

The Golem and the Jinni was a book club pick last month for one of my book club groups, and it has yet to make it to the top of my "currently reading" list. But it's on my coffee table, so at least it's close! The same book club has chosen The Magic Toyshop for this month, and I've also yet to start it, partly because half of the people loved it and the other half seem to have despised it. Oh well, I'll get around to it eventually! Have you read anything by Angela Carter before?

I have not read anything by her. I will keep her in mind since this book does look interesting. Thanks for the rec.

I read this book because it was my choice to hand out for World Book Night. I will be sharing it with a class, some students of which may not ever owned their own book. It is my hope that they will find it not too intimidating for a non-fiction book and will give it a shot.



The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (2000)

For Hush Puppies - the classic American brushed-suede shoes with the lightweight crepe sole - the Tipping Point came somewhere between late 1994 and early 1995.

In this book, Gladwell explains how some items, ideas, diseases, go from relative obscurity to huge success. He attributes (or blames) three types of personalities: the Maven, the Salesman, and the Connector. He introduces us to examples of each and demonstrates how they launched their things, whether it be shoes, a TV show, or disease.

I think this is what could be considered as pop anthropology and as the books are small in size, they are easily accessible. Since they talk about modern events, they are also quite relatable.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S LOG (NON-FICTION)

I can't believe I've read 5 non-fiction books already this year. A couple of years ago it was a challenge for me to read one per year!

>84 mamzel: Thanks for the review, as I have that one on the shelf, and to be honest, I assumed it was about the economy. Now I know it's more interesting than that. :D

>86 mstrust: All of his books are relatively short and have modern references that make them interesting, as in "I've heard of that!"



The Leopard by Jo Nesbø (2009, translated to English 2011)

This was an impulse borrow from the library. I've heard so much about Harry Hole and this series here on LT I figured I should give it a try. This episode is relatively late in the series but I think I probably have a good idea of his character. Yesterday I visited a thrift store and found the first book of the series so I picked it up and will start the series from the beginning.

We find Harry in Hong Kong, deep in a bottle and avoiding bad people to whom he owes money for gambling losses. The reader gets the idea that his last case was disastrous and even affected his wife and son which is why he left Norway to hide and pickle himself. Back in Norway, however, someone is killing seemingly random people with a wicked torture instrument. The police are at a loss and need Harry back to investigate. To lure him back home they send a detective to tell Harry that his father is dying.

Of course Harry discovers the link between the victims and as we can guess, manages to discover the murderer(s). He also has the common problem of being in the middle of a departmental war where neither side wants his failures but both want to be able to take credit for his success. His personal life is also lonely and tortured and takes place most often in the bottom of a bottle.

I certainly see why so many here have come to enjoy his adventures.

CATEGORY: BUOYANCY (MYSTERIES)

Lexicon by Max Barry (2013)

"He's coming around."
"Their eyes always do that."
The world was blurry. There was a pressure in his right eye. He said, Urk.

This is a prime example of a book I would probably have never discovered if it weren't for the recognition it received from ALA. Written by Australian author Max Barry, it is a science fiction story that takes place in the near future.

A group of people known as poets are able to control others with words. There is a school that finds these individuals and trains them to discover their words and control themselves. Emily Ruff is a young runaway in San Francisco and is questioned by a stranger on a train. She is whisked off to the school. It did not take long, however, before she breaks the rules and is again whisked off, this time to an Australian town in the middle of nowhere. She is attracted to a paramedic who is blessedly resistant to her control. However, the poets are not done with her. Or him.

The story jumps back and forth in time and location and the reader is left to figure out when and where she is. The confusion is compounded by the fact that some characters have two names (Emily's poet name is Virginia Woolf). Not until the very end of the book do we find out when it takes place.

The concept is maybe not unique - that words can make people do things even if it they are contrary to their beliefs. That one written word (a bareword) can cause a town's inhabitants to kill each other off is quite powerful.

This was a relatively quick read, action-packed and able to keep me interested to the end.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
ALEX AWARD (BOOKS WRITTEN FOR ADULTS WITH SPECIAL APPEAL TO TEENS)

Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd (2013)

Congratulations, you have decided to open this book, even though you have no idea what it's about because the cover doesn't tell you much. In fact, the cover is weird and seemingly at cross-purposes with the message and possibly even a bit pretentious. But you opened it anyway.

This was such an interesting book. It is a perfect introduction to the topic of graphic design, full of historical tidbits and examples illustrating the different elements. Chip Kidd has designed a number of well known book covers such as

and

and a number of superhero graphic novels. At the end of the book he gives the reader some exercises to develop their own graphics, such as developing one's own logo. Good fun!

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
NON-FICTION LIST

MIND MGMT #1 by Matt Kindt (2013)



A young author is struggling to get her next book written. She has used up all of her financial reserves and goodwill her publisher has advanced her. She is investigating a series of worldwide murders which are similar only in that there was not a stitch of evidence left behind. Along with a CIA agent, she follows cookie crumbs to Zanzibar and China to try and figure out who is behind the murders. Murder and mayhem ensue.

In the margin of all the pages are rules from the MIND MGT which tell agents how to proceed in certain circumstances. Eventually some of these rules are directed to the reader as if the reader is an agent and doesn't realize it.

This was an action-packed story with lots of cartoon violence.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS LIST

>75 mamzel: now you have me hooked with that one! I will check the library system to see if they have it.

eta: bingo- I have it on my library list :)

I just checked out the new gender stats in my profile and I'm 51.82% male, 48.18% female. I'd say that's pretty darn dead even without even trying!

This is the third year I have participated in this and it's a ton of fun. I've managed to get a few teachers to jump on board as well.

This year I chose The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell because he uses a lot of well known examples that I thought would interest teenagers. The size of the book is not intimidating and it was my hope that it would be a 'gateway book' to more non-fiction for them. I handed them out in a Strategic English class (smaller size) of ninth graders. I chose to read from a chapter about the company called Airwalk which started out by making shoes for skateboarders. It is an interesting story about how a clever, low cost advertising campaign piqued the interest of consumers and the company then took off.

I got a big ooooOOOOOoooo response when I told them I read over 100 books a year.

>92 mamzel: I didn't know those stats existed! So of course I had to go check mine right away. :) My books have 46.46% male authors and 53.54% female authors, so I'm pretty even as well! I actually thought I would be even more weighted towards the female end of the spectrum.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (2011)

It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.

ooOOooo! Cool first line. Unfortunately, that's all that was cool about this book for me.

I read quite a bit of fantasy and science fiction and I am used to suspending belief to accept concepts but they do have to have some logic or good explanation to make them believable. This was totally lacking in the book and think the author insulted the teen reader by not making it so.

1. The only reason they are called Scorpio Races is because they take place on Nov. 1. That, however, is as far in astrology or astronomy as the author goes. Why not just call them November Races?
2. Water horses (capall usice) exist at the same time as regular horses. No explanation of how or why there are two different versions of the same animal or why the water version is so agressive and carnivorous.
3. No reason why any sane person would try to trap one of these violent creatures, attempt to tame it and race it in an event with full expectation of death or dismemberment.
4. No reason why an apparently intelligent, horse loving young woman would enter her gentle and nervous regular horse in the race (first for both). Mind you, I am totally in favor of a woman breaking gender barriers but I thought entering her pony against the water horses was downright cruel.
5. No mention of where this island is except that it is not California (how random!) or where all the visitors that come for the races arrived from or even how they got there.
6. Random inclusion of modern devices such as automobiles and eletric lights which seemed totally out of place.

Alas, I cannot recommend this book.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD

Oh no! I LOVED The Scorpio Races -- but I can see why you didn't, based on the points you mentioned. Personally, I didn't mind the fact that lots of aspects of the world were not explained (why the water horses exist alongside regular horses, where exactly Thisby is, etc.) because I still found the overall premise compelling. Sorry it didn't work for you!

>96 christina_reads: I was aware it reviewed very well and lots of people loved it which is why I read it. Maybe I was expecting too much. Oh, well. You can't please everyone every time.

"I got a big ooooOOOOOoooo response when I told them I read over 100 books a year"
Love it!!

Eva - Luckily, I can claim it as part of my job!



Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson (1934)

One fine summer's morning the sun peeped over the hills and looked down upon the valley of Silverstream.

The purchase of this book was pure impulse as a Kindle daily special. It was so unlike what I am normally attracted to but something about it nudged my finger to the One-Click Purchase button. I'm so glad I did.

What started off as a slow story taking place in a small English village (sometime in the early 1900s) with a normal cast of village characters, blossomed into a smart and gently amusing story.

Miss Buncle's income from some dividends has not been able to meet her needs and so she decides to write a book. She uses her village as the setting (with a fictitious name) and her neighbors (with new names) as the cast of characters. As an unassuming citizen, she knows a lot about her friends and uses their secrets, good and bad, as fodder in her book. Surprisingly, the first publisher she approaches finds a certain quality to the book and responds to 'John Smith' that they would publish his book. Imagine the shock when they find out 'he' is a 'she'.

When the book comes out and is read by the townspeople, they respond with amusement or horror, depending on their situation. The ones who are horrified, of course, have dark secrets they did not want out or character flaws they did not want revealed. Some seeing the way they themselves are beheld, mend their ways, some react defensively as if what they are was perfectly acceptable.

Absolutely delightful! I have purchased the second of the series, Miss Buncle Married.

CATEGORY: FOREIGN FLAG (NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR)

Miss Buncle's Book was a delightful read for me so I am glad you enjoyed it!

>100 lkernagh: I went ahead and started the second episode. Wonderful characters.

Another Miss Buncle fan here -- glad you enjoyed it!

That's a new one to me and it sounds fabulous- on the WL!

Miss Buncle's Book is on my radar.

Miss Buncle's Book sounds charming! I'll have to keep this one in mind.

Mamzel, have you seen the new Humble Bundle? (I recall you'd bought this in the past.) It's a comics bundle this time.

I did see it. I actually had read one of them. I considered it but they were all first episodes. I might have purchased it if they were stand alones.

I found Casual Vacancy on the FOL shelf in CD format. I was listening to One Corpse Too Many but had to return it before I finished it. It was an impulse buy, to be sure. The profanity has me reeling! I'm tempted to drop the discs on the highway to get crushed if I wasn't risking getting a ticket for littering! After the Miss Bunkle books the language seems to be gratuitous, as if J.K. was proving to everyone she could write an adult book except that many adult books don't need that amount of language. Maybe I'll just drop it back on the shelf.

April Roundup Time!

1. Blips - LT recommendations -2
2. Buoyancy - mysteries - 4
3. Flying Dutchman - horror - 2
4. ITB - cross genre -2
5. Keel - classics from 1001 book list - 1
6. Foreign Flag - non-American authors - 4
7. Orlop Deck - books from TBR list -2
8. Catamaran - science fiction - 1
9. Ship's Log - non-fiction - 4
10. Galley - food related - 1
11. Breakbulk - miscellaneous
12. Fleet - group reads
13. Ship's hold - YA -2
13a. HUB Challenge - 21
14. Poop Deck - books not finished -1

Not a bad month. I'm getting close to the finish line on the HUB Challenge (25 titles).

My favorite this month was The Golem and the Jinni which I have been recommending to anyone in earshot. I also learned so much from Sugar, Salt, Fat and the next in the Steven Saylor series made me very happy.

I have Steven Saylor's Empire on my shelf and should get around to it sometime. Looks like you had a good reading month!

>108 rabbitprincess: I'm sure you will enjoy his books. They are the perfect historical fiction.



Miss Buncle Married by D.E. Stevenson (orig. 1936)

"We had better move," said Mr. Abbott casually.

Unfortunately, I was not as in love with this book as the first. I found it full of areas with endless descriptions that had me scanning to the end of that section.

Miss Buncle is now Mrs. Abbott. She has married her publisher and her second book, a not very thinly disguised story taking place in her town of Silverstream. This book will reveal her secret identity as author of the books and she does not want to be around for the fallout.

When she goes to a law office to get the keys for a house she wants to see, the lawyer mistakes her for another appointment and pushes a will in her hands to read. Against her better judgement, she reads it and is astonished to find that an old lady is willing her sizeable estate to her niece with the provision that she can't be married when the old lady dies.

Coincidently, Arthur's nephew, Sam, works in his office and isn't showing much enthusiasm about his job. Barbara invites him to stay in the country for a few days. As can be anticipated, he meets and falls in love with Sam and now Barbara is in a predicament because she can't reveal what she knows.

Still full of gentle humor, however, I think I have had my fill of Miss Buncle.

CATEGORY: FOREIGN-FLAG (NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR)

Next up: The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco

Good review of Miss Buncle Married. The second book did lack the sparkle and mischievous fun that I loved in the first book. I haven't read the third book, and probably won't, but I will be keeping an eye out for some of Stevenson's other books..... she was quite the prolific writer!

It's always reassuring when someone else has the same reaction as you. I really did want to like the second book but was disappointed. If only Stevenson could keep the same level like Barbara did.

>93 mamzel: ( I know I am so far behind here, but its still worth a comment, right?)
Love your book choice ofr Wolrd Book night. And I love that the kids seemed into it. Specifying one chapter was a good idea. :)

I'm looking forward to finding out what you think about The Prague Cemetery. I am vaguely planning to read that this month, if my current trend of just randomly floating from book to book can be beaten into submission.

>112 LovingLit: I haven't heard from any of the kids if they have read it or not...time will tell.

>113 RidgewayGirl: I am also guilty of starting and leaving books lately. That's why I proclaimed my latest endeavor, to make myself stick with it. I don't think it will be much of a problem, however. Eco is so brilliant and it's almost like luxuriating in a warm bath, reading his words.

I've enjoyed tremendously every book by Eco I've read. He just, for me, requires a little sidling up to without making direct eye contact. Because no matter how enjoyable his books are, they are also involving and challenging.

>115 RidgewayGirl: I laughed when I read this since I had my book on the shelf next to my bed, definitely in my peripheral vision!

My Eco is going slowly, but mostly because another book has proved unexpectedly interesting and I'm picking it up twice as often as The Name of the Rose.

>117 hailelib: There is a special place in my heart for The Name of the Rose. I moved the summer before my junior year of high school and the new school decided that although I had been in honors english before, it had a different name and so I was put in the ordinary english class. Mrs Gunkel caught me reading The Name of the Rose and forced them to move me. Read novels during class, kids.

I had been going to read The Prague Cemetary last year for one of the Awards Cat months, but ran out of time. As it's on my e-reader, maybe I'll move it up to my next treadmill book.

I admire you for being able to read an author like Eco on the treadmill. I would prefer something requiring less concentration like a cozy mystery. Luckily the bicycles at my gym have TVs so I can watch Castle or else the BBC News.

I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak (orig. 2002 in Australia)

The gunman is useless.
I know it.
He knows it.
The whole bank knows it.
Even my best mate, Marvin, knows it, and he's more useless than the gunman.

Ed Kennedy is a 19-year old, under-aged cab driver. He is just drifting along through life until he is in a bank that is being held up. By an incompetent thief. Mostly by chance, and without much thought, Ed ends up with the gun and holds the thief for the cops. He later receives a playing card in the mail with nothing but three adresses on it. Not having much else to do he visits the three locations and discovers people needing help of one kind or another.

This was a most unusual book. It took a while for me to realize it took place in Australia (where Zusak is from) and I was a little distracted by the fear that something would eventually happen to his coffe-drinking dog, the Doorman. I don't want to reveal more of the story except to say that it was very, very rewarding to read. And nothing at all like The Book Thief. A real treat.

CATEGORY: THE SHIP'S HOLD (HUB CHALLENGE)
Margaret A. Edward's Award for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature

My treadmill is in the basement so there are no outside distractions. Now that the weather is good for walking outside, I'm only on it when it rains which means I need something I'll remember from time to time ( or sometimes I'll just finish whatever it is and start something new the next time)

>122 dudes22: You're lucky you have one at home!



The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher (2014)

O, 'tis for the Rebellion a dark time.

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program.

This series is so much fun for a nerdy type like me. I have to state up front that I am not a good Shakespeare scholar. I should be ashamed to admit I know more of the dialogue from the movies than from the Bard. However, I appreciate this new way of enjoying the story and I hope kids will, too.

I'm sure I'm missing a lot of the references but it was fun to catch the ones I did recognize. Lord Vader speaks:

- Hath not a Sith eyes?
Hath not a Sith such feelings, hear, and soul,
As any Jedi Knight did e'er prossess?
If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you
Blast us, shall we not injur'd be?If you
Assault with lightsaber, do we not die?

It made me smile. Can't wait to read the third one.

CATEGORY: ITB (CROSS-GENRE) (Science Fiction with Shakespeare)

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (2013), narrated by Tom Hollander, DNF

Oh, J.K., why? Why?

I was between car-listening books when I found this on the FOL shelf at my library. I knew there were lovers and haters for this book but I had really no expectations.

It was terrible, horrible, disgusting, vile, I could go on. There wasn't a single sympathetic character, nothing that made want to go beyond the 3rd of 15 CDs.

A man collapses at the local golf club and dies of an aneurism. People are shocked. Prodigious use of the 'f' word.

I requested a new audiobook from the library and left this one on the FOL shelf when I went to pick it up. Maybe someone else will appreciate it more than me. (Next car book - Good Omens)

CATEGORY - POOP DECK (UNFINISHED BOOK)

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, adopted mothers, foster mothers, and anyone who has been in a nurturing to others. Enjoy your day of recognition!

Interesting article from huffingtonpost about words to describe different types of bookish people can be found here. Which one would you choose to describe yourself? I think I am "book-bosomed".

Fun article - I would either be "book-bosomed" or "bibliobibuli".

I'm a book-bosomed would be literarian.

>127 LittleTaiko: Same here!

I would call myself book-bosomed and at times I like to indulge in Bibliosmia.

Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar (2013)

Two figures trudge across a snowy expanse, the peak of Otorten Mountain stands icy and grim in the distance, a lone witness to their miserable progress.

Why people do this kind of trek is beyond me: sub-zero temperatures, howling wind, treeless slopes, gray skies. What the big attraction? But that's just me. In January of 1959 ten students from the Ural Polytechnic Institute set out on this dangerous, challenging hike, to qualify for their Level 3 hiker's certificate. They were fit and experienced but not a match for what they met on that last fateful night.

When they were about 6 days overdue, the Institute finally sent out a search party. They located the hikers, all dead. They had left their perfectly set up tent in the night, without overclothes or boots, and all met a death from hypothermia. What made them leave their tent? Theories ranged from escaped gulag prisoners to wild animals to aliens. Eichar decided to honor these students by discovering the truth of their demise. What he discovered was not fantastical but rooted in advanced and rare physical conditions.

This was a good combination of survival-in-the-wild, science, adventure, and tragedy.

CATEGORY: LOG BOOK (NON-FICTION)

I have added Miss Buncle's Book, Dead Mountain and I am the Messenger to my Audible wish list. I am listening to 6-8 audio books a month, until my arm gets better and I can hold a book, and I am finding it hard to find books i am interested in. I think Audible's search and recommendation systems could be improve. It is a good thing that I have people like you to recommend books.

I hope the audio versions are as good as the written one. A narrator can really make or break a book! Hope your arm gets better soon. I usually prop my book on a pillow any way, so I don't have to hold it. I've got the beginning of arthritis in my thumbs so it's hard to hold a book open without propping it.

the Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco (2011)

A passerby on that grey morning in March 1897, crossing, at his own risk and peril, the place Maulbert, or the Maub as it was known in criminal circles (formally a centre of university life in the Middle Ages when students flocked there from the Faculty of Arts in Vicus Stramineus or the rue de Fouarre, and later the place of execution for apostles of free thought such as Etienne Dolet), would have found himself in one of the few spots in Paris spared from Baron Hausmann's devastations, amidst a tangle of malordorous alleys, sliced in two by the course of the Bievre which still emerged here, flowing out from the bowels of the metropolis, where it had long been confined, before entering feverish, gasping, and verminous into the nearby Seine.

That's a mouthful! And just the first sentence of a 464 page book! I admire Eco for his ability to create such works of art even if I am not able to appreciate them as much as I should. My dismal background in history surely has cut into my enjoyment of the book. Many names were familiar to me but I unfortunately did not know how they related to each other. I plunged along with the hope that somewhere along the way things would click and they sort of did.

Eco sure loves conspiracy and forgery for topics. I read Baudalino which was about a group of travelers who made their money by creating relics. Pieces of wood became pieces of the cross and random pieces of bones were pieces of dead saints. What was funny is when they had no doubt about the authenticity of relics already in place. What amused me in this book was how a forged document about a meeting of rabbis was used and plagarized and the author was shocked and insulted it was misused.

The narrator's rants about Jews, Jesuits, and Freemasons were so vehement they tickled me. Of course, not being from any of those groups gave me an objective view.

I didn't understand why the narrator was broken into two people who shared and conversed through the journal until close to the end of the book when one of the characters simply ceased to be. It added to the confusion I felt reading most of this book. I just took it in stride and went along for the ride.

I would recommend this for people who have a good background in European history and like books full of intrigue.

CATEGORY: FLEET (GROUP READ)

I have a frozen right shoulder with the pain going down in the arm and hand. I am about six months into the freezing stage so hopefully that will end soon and the pain will lessen.

The narrator is very important to me as I have a slight hearing problem. I find about 50% of female narrators painful to hear because I have to concentrate so hard to understand them, male voices are usually easier for me to understand.

The good thing about all this is that, because of the limited range of audio books, I have actually listened to some I don't think I would have thought of reading in printed form so my genres have expanded.

>131 mamzel: Dead Mountain has been on my list for a while. Your review's moved it up a few places.

Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams (1991)

10 years before American Gods, 20 years before The Iron Druid Chronicles, Douglas Adams envisioned his own version of ancient Norse gods living among us and causing all kinds of problems. At the center of the action are Dirk Gently, a holistic detective who is avoiding a toxic mess in his refrigerator and bills from American Express, and his secretary, Kate, tired of not getting paid, and who is trying to get to Norway to meet up with her boyfriend. Also trying to get to Norway is a tall blond man trying to get on a plane without money or a passport.

Trying to explain what happens in a book by Douglas Adams is difficult since so much of the writing is the most bizarre observations of life and the craziness that take place in his stories. I dare any reader to read this book without chuckling or outright laughing out loud.

CATEGORY: KEEL (CLASSICS FROM 1001 BOOKS-TO-READ-LIST)

I seem to remember that Long Dark Teatime involved Thor, Mjolnir and a Coke machine. The memory makes me smile. Glad you liked it.

That crazy Coke machine! And the eagles! And Odin and his linen sheets! It gave me the incentive to change the sheets on my bed this morning!

> 137 Sounds too bizarre to pass up- on the list!

>124 mamzel: Oh dear, that one is on my stack for this year.

>140 mstrust: A lot of people did like Rowling's book. If you already have it you should give it a shot. Who knows?

I think that taking it in stride and going along for the ride is the best thing you can do with a book by Eco! Although I have found it useful to keep my laptop open to look up all of those obscure references.

I'm wondering that since the protagonist hates everyone, can he really be an anti-semite? I've noticed he also hates Germans, women and countless others. He's seems like a remarkably equal opportunity hate-monger.

>137 mamzel: I will definitely have to read this one!

>142 RidgewayGirl: I think the only thing he loved was himself! Everybody else was worthy of nothing but scorn.

>143 luvamystery65: I hope you get a chance to read it and enjoy it. Adams is a real trip.

I'm a little further into The Prague Cemetery and I think Simonini's description of his encounter with Sigmund Freud was hilarious.

It took me a while to realize who Fröid was. Then I got it.

>145 RidgewayGirl: and >146 mamzel: - Fröid = Freud?

I am getting more and more intrigued by the comments for The Prague Cemetery!

Eco uses lots of historical figures in his books.

>124 mamzel:
Too bad you didn't enjoy The Casual Vacancy - it's not perky, that's for sure. :) Hope you love Good Omens, though, it's one of my all-time favorites!

Sorry to hear about your frozen shoulder - a friend of mine has had that for a while now and it seems extraordinarily painful.

It's been a while since I've posted to my own thread. It's been end-of-the-year madness but school is finally over. I haven't finished any books for one reason or another.

One Corpse Too Many was an audiobook from the library. Seems like someone else had a hold so I had to return it before I finished it.
For the Win was the book I was reading on breaks at school. I didn't quite finish it and left it there.
Zia Summer I tried to read at home. I couldn't warm up to the main character for some reason. As soon as the reveal was made I closed the book, not wanting to finish it. First time I ever did that!
Good Omens was my next book on audio. This was not a good candidate for trying to listen to while driving. Gaiman really deserves a good bit of attention. I'll try to read it in print soon.

In any case, summer vacation has started and tonight I get on a plane with ma petite to jet to St. Thomas to visit mon pere again. Mon frere will be arriving later tomorrow and it's been a long time since I've seen him. We were hoping my niece would come with him but she is job hunting.

I'm almost finished with Breadfruit and I have Midnight Riot on my Kindle for the plane ride. Next post will be from St. Thomas. Wheeeee!

Enjoy your vacay and family time! You will love Midnight Riot.

Have a wonderful trip!

Have a great time and happy end of the school year! :)

Greetings from the Caribbean!

Got a couple of books read.



Breadfruit by Celestine Vaite (2006)

Materena likes movies about love.

Materena lives with her three children and their father, Pito, in Tahiti. As is true of life in many tropical places, it is slow, gentle, and laid back. There is no sense of urgency or need to excel, just get by. There is one thing that Materena didn't think she wanted but decided she did after watching one of her movies, and that is to get married. One night Pito comes home drunk and makes a comment about getting married and Materena dares to take that as a proposal. She makes inquiries about the costs of a cake, a driver, music, etc. but in the back of her mind she knows that Pito probably doesn't remember what he said so she doesn't make any firm plans.

This book is a nice palate cleanser after reading books with too much violence, fantasy, and technology.

CATEGORY: BREAK BULK (MISCELLANEOUS)



Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (2011)
Rivers of London #1

It started at one thirty on a cold Tuesday morning in January when Martin Turner, street performer and, in his own words, apprentice gigolo, tripped over a body in front of the West Portico of St. Paul's at Covent Garden.

Peter Grant is a probationary constable and one of his first cases involves guarding a crime scene in Covent Gardens. He is approached by an odd character who says he saw the murderer and admits he is a ghost. (!) Peter is nonplussed by this, asks him to prove it (he steps into the light and becomes transparent). Peter listens to his story and the ghost vanishes when Peter's partner returns with his coffee. The next day Peter has an interview to determine his place in the Metropolitan Police and ends up in the paperwork-heavy Case Progression Unit.

Later he shares a drink with his friend, fellow police officer, Leslie, and tells her how he got the story from the ghost. He tries to talk to the ghost again and is discovered by Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, a wizard, who takes Peter under his wing and starts to train him in the gentle art of magic. Together they investigate this strange murder, and more that come, which are tied to the Punch and Judy puppet show.

Throughout the story we meet people who are connected to all the rivers and creeks of London. This is a most unique and original approach to giving the reader a tour of the locale. This all promises to be a wonderfully different mystery, urban fantasy series.

CATEGORY: RADAR BLIB (LT RECOMMENDATION)

>154 mamzel: What a lovely postcard! Thinking of you on beautiful St. Thomas and hearing steel drums playing in the background.

>154 mamzel:
Love the sand-picture!!

On behalf of everyone at LT, I think we would all happily join you in the Caribbean. Hope you're having a fantastic time!

>154 mamzel: - how sweet of you to be thinking of us. Hope you're having a great time!

Brewer's Beach, St. Thomas - on the top of the hill you can see part of the University of the Virgin Islands. Just behind that hill, and visible to the right of the hill, is the landing strip of the airport.

My daughter had to return home and I'm staying another week with my dad. He just adopted a new dog yesterday and I'm dogsitting while he does errands in town. She's a native Coconut Retreiver with some Shar Pei in her. He has two other rescued dogs, a Great Pyrenees and another mutt the size and shape of a Corgi (has the turned out feet and large upright ears). This last one, Larry, sneaked into my room last night and took off with one of my sandals. I found it in the yard chewed but still wearable.



Stardust by Neil Gaiman (2008)

There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart's Desire.

This book is a breath of fresh air. It's a fantasy that takes place during the 19th century in a corner of England that borders a strange world known as Fairie. Every nine years a market is held which attracts people from all over. Dunstan Thorn is a young man in love with Daisy and wants to find the perfect item to give her. Under the night sky, they watch a falling star and she tells him she will do anything he wants if he brings back the fallen star. To do that he needs to cross over to Fairie which is forbidden. There are others who are also interested in finding the star - a witch who wants the star's heart to give youth to herself and her two sisters - and the two surviving heirs of a kingdom who are followed around by the ghosts of their other five brothers, observers of the action. They want to retrieve a jewel that gives the owner the position of ruler of their country.

Gaiman always has a way to use words in a totally surprising manner which delights this reader. I wish I had highlighted more examples but one is "treacherously placid lake". The language is fairy tale in style which this story really is even though it takes place in a relatively modern and historic place. A nice undemanding read.

CATEGORY: ORLOP DECK (TBR LIST)

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure (2013)

Just as Lucien Bernard rounded the corner at the rue la Boetie, a man running from the opposite direction almost collided with him. He came so close that Lucien could smell his cologne as he raced by.

As this book that takes place in occupied Paris, we meet Lucien just as he witnesses the execution of a Jew in the street, right at his feet. This was a common occurrence which bolstered his belief that anyone who would risk their life to hide Jews had to be nothing short of crazy. But he was desperate enough for a job that he accepted a commission to design a hiding place in an upscale apartment. This started him on a career that not only supported him, his wife, and his mistress, but exponentially increased the amount of danger and fear. He did not seem to be the kind of person that would embrace this challenge. He seemed to be rather typical of many French who had little or no respect for Jews. Monsieur Manet, the man who first approached him, gently persuaded him otherwise and he grew to be a champion in the effort.

Lucien knew he couldn't be that way and just stand by; he had to continue what he'd been doing. When he asked himself why he was risking his life, the answer wasn't the cash, the factories, or the sheer thrill of the challenge. He was risking his life because it was the right thing to do. He had to go beyond himself and help these people. His father was probably looking up at him from Hell certainly not Heaven), laughing and cursing at him, but he didn't care.

The 384 pages of this book flew by!

CATEGORY: FLYING DUTCHMAN (HORROR) (because anything with Nazis in it is horror, INHO)

Happy First Day of Summer!

Happy Summer Mamzel. I'm glad you are enjoying your visit with your dad.

Rivers of London is wonderful. I enjoyed book 2 even more. Book 3 was not my favorite plot wise but I enjoyed character progression. Book 4 was Wow!

Guess who I met?



All thanks to your review last year!

I keep hearing about Aaronovitch from different sources. I really must try one of his books sometime. The combination of mystery and urban fantasy sounds very appealing.

>162 luvamystery65: I saw and I was so jealous! I don't know if he'll be appearing in my neighborhood. I'll check into it when I get back home. He sounds like a great speaker.

>163 mathgirl40: I bet they're even more interesting if one is from the London area and knows about all the referenced bodies of water.

Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson (2014)

It seems like a lifetime ago - which, of course, it was...all that and more. A good life, too, though it didn't always feel that way.

This book starts out like a memoir but switches to alternate characters. Not really a problem.

There are three main characters. The Watchmaker has developed a prosperous and precisely controlled civilization. Even the weather is scheduled. The Anarchist wants to destroy this and give freedom to the citizens. In the middle of this is Owen Hardy who has appeared in a kind of prophecy and the other two try to persuade him to their respective views. Owen lives in a small village, the son of an apple orchard owner, who thinks he loves a beautiful village girl with the imagination of a plate. He planned to meet her and share an apple with her under the stars at midnight but she doesn't show. Disappointed, he goes to watch the steamliner pass by on its way to Crown City, home of the Watchmaker. Impulsively, he grabs an offered hand and boards an empty car on the first step of his voyage. Some of the adventures he finds are orchestrated and some are accidental but along the way he works in a circus, on a streamliner, a ship which is lured by Wreckers and is the sole survivor.

Will he be swayed by the freedom and uncertainty of anarchy or return to the safety and dullness of order?

This steampunk story is fun. I read it because I wanted to clean something off my Kindle before buying anything new and to fill in time until I get back home to Kraken.

CATEGORY:

After my library book, my ER book and the next Kate Griffin - it is going to Aaronovitch for sure, have been putting him off far too long.

It's because of LT that I learned of Aaronovitch. Thanks, guys!

Back from the humidity and mosquito islands. Had a wonderful time. Got back late and got quite a tour of a nearly deserted San Francisco due to road work, detours, and a wacky GPS.

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg (2008)

The house was desolate and empty. The cold penetrated into every corner. A thin sheet of ice had formed in the bathtub. She had begun to take on a slightly bluish tinge.

An author and a police officer join up to investigate the death of a young woman, at first glance a suicide. Erica Falck knew Alex when they were young in the fishing village of Fjällbacka but they went separate ways until Alex was found dead. Alex's neighbor was checking the house when he found her and Erica happened to be walking by the house. Erica was a writer of biographies but has been uninspired lately and was looking for something new to work on. Alex's parents asked her to write an article about her and after interviewing them and Alex's husband Erica decided to write a book about the investigation.

Patrik Hedström was the police investigator assigned to the case. He met with Erica to hear about how she found the victim and found himself sharing facts about the case he maybe should not have been. The relationship between these two folks in their thirties and over the flush of youth grew as they respected each others abilities. They made a great pair.

The author had no problems throwing absolutely false leads at the reader which was a bit unforgivable but the couple of investigators were so cute I forgave her.

What I found fun was a glimpse into Swedish life which included fanatical cleanliness and the ubiquitous coffee. There were interesting characters like Patrik's boss who was transferred from the large city of Goteberg to the sticks but had a very high opinion of himself and believed that his comb-over fooled everyone.

CATEGORY: FOREIGN FLAG (NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR)

I have discovered a couple of TV series. New to me is Orange is the New Black on Netflix. Binge watching! An odd mixture of shock and humor that keeps me on edge and riveted. Also, the amazing Murder in the First which has an amazing cast and is filmed in San Francisco. I see some amazing series starting on PBS this Sunday including a new season of Endeavor and a new series with the amazing Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen. These both follow Last Tango in Halifax which also stars Derek Jacobi. Sookie will have to wait until the next day!

Edited to add the new Musketeers series. Eye candy!

I saw that McKellen/Jacobi show listed and set the DVR immediately. I think it's called "Vicious" and Frances de la Tour is in it too. Looks good!
I haven't seen OITNB yet but I will. I'll be watching "True Detective" in a week or two.

>170 mamzel: Oh, I need to get my hands on the new Endeavor series! I love that show.
Haven't watched Vicious but I've heard some good things about it so might pick it up later. Great cast, at any rate.

>170 mamzel: - I've been meaning to start watching OITNB too. And I have the book somewhere in my TBR pile. I meant to read it last year, but never got to it. ( doesn't that sound familiar?) maybe later this year. I just can't decide whether to read it first before watching or not.

>171 mstrust: I don't know anything about True Detective but I'll certainly keep an eye out for it.

>172 PawsforThought: I didn't really watch the original Inspector Morse series but I am enjoying this series with a young Morse.

>173 dudes22: The book is about a year in a women's prison. I wonder if they will restrict the series chronically to a year or if they will continue. I am sure they can come up with enough material. The show doesn't pull any punches.



Neighborhood Heroes: Life Lessons from Maine's Greatest Generation by Morgan Rielly (2014)

(from the Introduction) I have always loved history. It might have been my grandfather's stories of growing up on a farm and going to a one-room school-house that first sparked my interest in history.

I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM THE EARLY REVIEWERS PROGRAM.

Morgan wrote this book as a school project. He had read an African proverb that inspired him to combine his love of history with writing. He interviewed World War II and Korean War veterans and presented their stories and life lessons. He told the stories of not only men but women who felt they had something to contribute to the effort. Morgan starts with their lives before enlisting and continues with their careers and families after they got out of the service. The writing is spare and does not go overboard with glorifying war experiences.

I look forward to sharing this book with my students as an inspiration to record their own stories and stories of those around them. The basic theme is that people don't always know that they are a part of history as it happens.

CATEGORY:

I skipped a May summary (a little busy) but I'll give a June update here.

1. Blips - LT recommendations -3 (+1)
2. Buoyancy - mysteries - 4
3. Flying Dutchman - horror - 3 (+1)
4. ITB - cross genre -3 (+1)
5. Keel - classics from 1001 book list - 2 (+1)
6. Foreign Flag - non-American authors - 6 (+2)
7. Orlop Deck - books from TBR list -3 (+1)
8. Catamaran - science fiction - 2 (+1)
9. Ship's Log - non-fiction - 6 (+2)
10. Galley - food related - 1
11. Breakbulk - miscellaneous - 1 (+1)
12. Fleet - group reads
13. Ship's hold - YA -2
13a. HUB Challenge - 22 (+1)
14. Poop Deck - books not finished -2 (+1)

Total read: 58

I didn't have any real standouts but I Am the Messenger, Midnight Riot and The Paris Architect were really good and I highly recommend them.

>174 mamzel: I haven't watched many episodes of the original series either but I'm a HUGE fan of Lewis so was ecstatic about Endeavor and I'm so glad it's as good as it is. I really should watch Morse - and it's on my "to watch-list" but I have a few other series to get through first.

Greetings, mamzel!

First let me say that I adore Phryne - both the TV series and the books (all of which I've read). Not every PBS station carried/carries the series, so lots of people missed out on it. There's some doubt if the Australian Broadcasting Corp. will pick it up for a third season. You should be warned that there are definite major plot changes between the tv show and the books!

I need to read Salt, Sugar, Fat - thanks for reminding me. The Miss Buncle books have been on my radar - I need to read them, too! I'm a big Lord Peter fan, so I hope you continue to enjoy the series. I am the Messenger looks interesting - I'll pick it up from the library. And I really like the Aaronovitch books!

And thanks for dropping by my thread!

Whoops! Double post.....

Yay, Rivers of London! :D And I have Endeavour Season 1 on its way to me at the library. Looking forward to it.

>169 mamzel:
"fanatical cleanliness and the ubiquitous coffee"
Haha! Love it! :)

>176 PawsforThought: I actually fell asleep during Endeavor last night but luckily I DVR'd it and will try to watch it tonight.

>177 Dejah_Thoris: Salt, Sugar, Fat is a must read. Zusak is mostly known for The Book Thief but this one shows he is a strong author.

>179 rabbitprincess: what did weever do before Hulu, VOD, and DVDs? Binge watching! Woo hoo!

>180 -Eva-: when I read the Millenium series I saw how much coffee was consumed but this book really illustrated the neat freaks. There was one character, an artist, who was a drunk and total slob. It was a toss-up what people were annoyed by more.

I just started Kraken by Mieville this morning. I love books that exercise my eyebrows! Wow!

>181 mamzel: I watch Endeavor via, ahem, alternative channels. Was thinking about watching an episode tonight, but I think I'm going to stick to my plan - though it is tempting.

Oh, and about the coffee...



(As you can see, Finland is actually much worse than we are.)

>182 PawsforThought: I'm actually shocked that the US is so far down on the list!

182 > I'm shocked The Netherlands aren't even in the list - although the massive amounts of coffee that's consumed in my family (not by me, I'm a tea girl all the way) might skew my perception.

>183 christina_reads: Starbucks hardly counts as coffee. *snort*

>182 PawsforThought: Is that 10kg of beans per year? That is a good amount for sure!

>184 Samantha_kathy: Japan is my surprise on that list. I wouldn't have even considered them in the running. Even Steven on their beer and sake.

One of my favorite finds was in a co-op market in Eureka, Ca. They had a whole aisle with bulk bins of artisnal coffee. That began my new habit of buying consumable, regionally made stuff for souvenirs. I brought back micro brewery beer and goat cheese that trip besides a wonderful assortment of coffee. My son worked as a roaster for a couple of years and he introduced me to new blends, too.

>184 Samantha_kathy: They might not have been included in the study. Other graphs I found (many which I thought must have been wrong because they listed Sweden as drinking 1.5 cups per person/day (SO NOT TRUE)) had the Netherlands really high up - several had them at the top.

>185 mamzel: I believe so.

I think the reason why the US is so low has a lot to do with Americans drinking a lot of things like caffe latte and other diluted coffee drinks - or at least that's what I've extrapolated from acquaintances and the media. Even if you drink a giant cup of frappu-machhi-whatever, it's mostly made up of milk and syrups and other extras. Compare that to a big cup of black coffee that most people I know drink when they have coffee. I know very few people who put anything in their coffee except maybe a (small) splash of milk or a lump of sugar.

I'm definitely a coffee person! I occasionally get one of the fancier drinks, but I usually have at least a couple of cups of coffee each morning (and sometimes the cups are large enough to qualify for more than one cup each)!

Happy Independence Day!

Kraken by China Miéville (2010)

An everyday doomsayer in sandwich-board abruptly walked away from what over the last several days had been his pitch, by the gates of a museum. The sign on his front was an old-school prophecy of the end: the one bobbing on his back read FORGET IT.

If reading a book can be enjoyed like walking along a road observing people walking with you and with detours and side trips, then Kraken is like a roller coaster ride with slow climbs, abrupt drops, dizzying twists turning you upside down, and fantastic views. Miéville's books are so unique he has been given his own genre - New Weird. This book is an amazing combination of fantasy, mystery, police procedural, religious, horror, and even humor.

The plot is too complicated to try and describe except to say that the end of the world is near, set in motion by the disappearance of a preserved specimen of a giant squid from London's Natural History Museum. The curator, Billy Harrow, discovers he is much more than a curator as he is pulled around by police from the FSRC (Fundamentalist and Sect-Related Crime Unit) and Dane, the guard he had seen been killed but is miraculously resurrected.

This book is hefty, just over 500 pages, and does require rather close attention. Miéville uses uncommon vocabulary (some examples - recusant science, ineluctable, aleatory frenzy, fylfot, guerilla shadchans, and concatenate development) and rather thick Londonese dialogue but it is well worth the effort.

CATEGORY: ITB (CROSS-GENRE)

I had brought home Unbroken with me to read and with the passing of Louis Zamperini I'll not put it off any more.

YAY for a 5 star Mieville read! Kraken is still on my future reading list, along with a number of other Mieville books.

Happy 4th of July!

I have got to read Mieville. Really. And soon.

As for coffee, I can attest to the accuracy of that chart. I've been drinking much more coffee now that I'm in Germany. Americans tend to drink soda -- which is much less common here. Which is nice as the kids have stopped asking for it in favor of schorles (fruit juice mixed with sparkling water -- rhubarb is especially refreshing) or just sparkling water.

I have Kraken on my TBR stack for this year. I bought my copy from an indie bookshop in Virginia when I went down there to make face-to-face contact with a blogger I had struck up a friendship with, and the bookseller hand-sold me the book! Unfortunately, the time that I thought that I was going to have to read it on that trip evaporated, and I ended up carting it back home and shelving it. And then you know how that goes: Other things kept distracting me... :-/

From your review I suspect I won't be disappointed :-)

You got me with Kraken; it sounds too good to pass up. I have a couple by Mieville on the shelf but have yet to open one.

>191 lkernagh: This is the the third book of his I've enjoyed. Embassytown was my first and Un Lun Dun was the other. We also have Perdido Street Station at school for my pleasure.

>192 RidgewayGirl: One of my favorite refreshing drinks is carbonated water with mint syrup. Aaaaah!

>193 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I hope you will be able to find the time to enjoy it. Sounds like that book seller knew what he liked and tried to make sure everyone bought his favorites!

>194 mstrust: No time like the present! *grin*

I've been meaning to read China Mieville for years - time to make it happen! Thanks for the review.

>189 mamzel:
Isn't it just amazing?! So happy you enjoyed it.

>190 mamzel: - Unbroken was such an amazing story - hope you enjoy it.

>189 mamzel: Thank you for the review of Kraken. I have Kraken on my pile to read this year.

Mamzel, you are very French! My kids loved ordering that in Paris, while I thought it tasted like carbonated Scope. I pick up the bottles of mint syrup for them to make their own here.

>198 LittleTaiko: So far I really am. I just got to the part where his plane went down. My reading will slow down a bit since I watch the Tour de France in the morning and I am doing a little work at school preparing the massive mailout for the beginning of the year.

>199 craso: I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!

>200 RidgewayGirl: Actually, I picked that up from some kids ahead of me at our local coffee/frozen yogurt place. In France I picked up the habit of enjoying a piece of lemon in my Coke. Can anyone who has been to France recently tell me if they still automatically serve lemon with Coke?

>169 mamzel: Camilla Läckberg is hugely popular in France, I'll have to try to read the first one, how could I resist fanatical cleanliness ?

>170 mamzel: OitNB is like watching a freak accident, isn't it, can't stop even though you wish you could :) Endeavor is great, we loved the first season.

>189 mamzel: Great review of Kraken, it's a BB :)

>201 mamzel: Well, it depends on the Café, some will serve the Coke with a piece of lemon but most don't :)

I love to have a Vichy Fraise in summer which is just a fancy way to have carbonated water with strawberry syrup :)

Greetings, mamzel! I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Have a lovely weekend Mamzel.

>202 electrice: I probably was aware of the cleanliness because that is so unlike me. We have a new "smart" TV so we get Netflix easily and I can catch up on other of their series. I just saw an ad this morning for one called Hemlock Grove that I have to check out. Have you watched this one? I hope you will enjoy Kraken as much as I did. It's a real head turner.

>203 Dejah_Thoris: and >204 luvamystery65: Thanks so much. I went out and bought string beans so my daughter and I could make a batch of dilled beans (pickled beans with dill, garlic, and hot chili). It's a favorite of ours and it will be hard to let allow it the time to develop its full flavor. Today it's a big sports day. Great stage for the TDF and soon it will be The Game.

A while ago I purchased a bunch of graphic novels from Humble Bundle and have been picking my way through them on the iPad. For the most part they only give one a taste of a series, which is what I'm apt to enjoy anyway. Here is a sample of what I've enjoyed so far.



Green Hornet by Kevin Smith (2010)
I absolutely loved the art work in this series which features the progeny of the Green Hornet and Kato of yore.

>

Legenderry by Bill Wallingham (var.)
A fun steampunk version of the Green Hornet by the author of the wonderful Fables GN series.

Wallingham and steampunk?! Adding Legenderry to my future reading list!

>205 mamzel: I have been looking at Legenderry. Might need to look again!

Legenderry looks like fun!

>206 lkernagh: >207 craso: >208 -Eva-: The Black Hornet is a dirigible!! I may pursue more of this series.

I learned today that the world of YA literature is mourning the passing of Walter Dean Myers on July 2.

My favorite memory having to do with his books takes place in a courtroom. I had been summoned for jury duty and made it as far as the audience while the first potential jurors were being questioned by the lawyers. They were asked whether they had ever had to identify someone or if they had been in a lineup themselves. I happened to glance at the defendant and saw a young black man dressed in a suit and studiously staring at his hands. It hit me that this was just like the plot of Myers' most famous book, Monster. I use this story in my booktalks as an example of how realistic his books are. As it was I was not chosen for a juror so I didn't learn the particulars of the case nor how it settled but I did hope for the best for the young man.

>211 mamzel: Spectacular castle! What's its name?

It is the Citadel of Carcassonne. I think it looks a little like the Bastille Prison.

I'm working at school running off copies of the beginning-of-the-year newsletter and I'm getting quite frustrated. When the copier gets too warm it starts jamming and I find myself running back and forth to clear the jams. It will take me forever to run these at this rate. Today they are testing the fire alarms which are painfully loud so I'm sitting at my computer with a finger stuck in my right ear so typing is so slow. I'll be calling it quits here soon.

That does not sound like a fun day!

>213 mamzel: Thank you! Carcassonne, another city I want to see some day.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (2013)

There was a boy in her room.

Cath started college carrying a shoulder full of issues. She and her twin sister, Wren, had been abandoned by their mother when they were eight and then raised by their bipolar father. Wren was always more outgoing and confident but really threw her sister for a loop when she announced that they would not room together. Cath was a popular writer on Fanfixx, a website for fan fiction, for her stories based on the popular series about the young wizard, Simon Snow (think Harry Potter). She was in a race to finish her story before the final volume of the series was released.

Cath was allowed in the advanced class of Fiction Writing but was floored when she discovered her teacher considered fan fiction as nothing more than plagiarism and would not accept any of her writing for the site. Cath had a serious block creating her own characters and situations.

On top of all of the other freshman anxieties (like where was the cafeteria and where should she sit) her sister developed a severe problem with alcohol and her father suffered an episode and had to be hospitalized. And, too, there were two guys.

Fan fiction is huge. I wanted to use the website Fanfiction.com for stats but it is blocked here at school (stupid games). I wanted to share how many stories had been written about the Harry Potter series. Alas. It will have to wait until I get home. It was refreshing to have a protagonist write and have such positive feedback from followers. I loved how she had the two main characters (Harry and Malfoy types) actually develop a homosexual relationship.

I picked this book up yesterday since I had nothing else to do while waiting for the repairman for the copier and I finished it this morning. I was able to download another of Rowell's book, Eleanor and Park to my cell phone so I will be able to listen to it.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (YA)

I still need to get around to reading Fangirl - or any of Rowell's books - so reminders in the form of your great review are always welcome. ;-)

>217 mamzel: I loved Fangirl when I read it last year. I got my boss to order Eleanor & Park for the library, but the first person to check it out never brought it back, so it's still stuck on Mt. TBR.

I had a friend in high school who wrote fanfiction about the evolution of Tom Riddle and his turn to evil. A quick check of FF.net shows 688,000 Harry Potter fanfics, plus 216,000 Twilight ones.

>218 lkernagh: I listened to Eleanor and Park last night on my walk. I love the alternating voices for the two characters. Listening to a book makes walking so pleasurable.

>219 inge87: Not at all surprised to hear Harry still beats out Bella! Did your friend read Fangirl?

I love the Rainbow Rowell discussion! I am currently reading (DEVOURING) Landline, which seems to be getting more mixed reviews than Eleanor & Park and Fangirl did. But I'm fairly sure I'm going to be on the "loved it!" side. :)

It seems as if everyone has loved both Fangirl and Eleanor & Park. I better check these out!

I don't know about her other books but Fangirl and Eleanor and Park feature young people who really live in their own heads and need to be lured out like a turtle with a piece of lettuce. They have suffered from the words and actions of the "cool kids" and are gun shy.

One good thing I can say about having to wait for the stupid copier to get fixed is that I have had some quality time with books. And this is a quality book!



Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (2010)

In the predawn darkness of August 26, 1929, in the back bedroom of a small house in Torrance, California, a twelve-year-old boy sat up in bed, listening.

It seems to me that there are two different kinds of survival stories. The kind where people put themselves in dangerous situations voluntarily (climbing Everest, etc.) and the kinds where circumstances are thrust upon them. I have very little patience for the former. This book, however, is very much in the latter category.

Louis Zamperini was an extraordinary person from day one. I don't know if I would have been a good parent for a child like him, a perpetual motion machine always getting into trouble and needing a huge amount of physical activity. Luckily his family was up to the task. His main outlet was running and led him up to participating in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He eventually joined the Army Air Corps in 1941 and trained in the Pacific as a bombadier in a B-24.

His plane was shot down and he survived with two other men floating in a raft for 57 days before being picked up by the Japanese. He then spent the rest of the war in POW camps in Japan. At the time, the Japanese did not believe in humane treatment of POWs or following the Geneva Convention. The men were starved, beaten, forced into slave labor, and degraded beyond belief.

It was to be expected that returning to normal life would not be without problem. PTSD caused him to have nightmares and violent, unpredictable behavior. He finally found peace after hearing Billy Graham at a tent revival in Los Angeles.

What is amazing is that this book was a real page turner, the kind of book you yearn to have in your hands whenever you have a minute. The hardships Zamperini suffered were never described gratuitously but matter-of-factly and with historic support. This was not only Louis' story, but the story of his family and his friends.

I can't recommend this book enough and everyone should keep it in mind for the November biography group read.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S LOG (NON-FICTION)

>220 mamzel: I haven't talked to her in a few years, but knowing her reading habits it's perfectly possible that she's read Fangirl.

Too funy - only this afternoon my favorite librarian convinced me I had to read Fangirl! It'll probably be a few weeks before I get to it, but it's great to have several more positive votes.

Glad to recommend Fangirl! I first heard of it at the annual book talk given by a local bookstore given annually to rave about their favorite reads during the year. I also heard about the excellent Ready Player One there. They're rarely wrong.

I'm finally catching up with your reviews and there are definitely some BBs there! I've read several of China Mieville's books and loved them but haven't gotten around to Kraken yet. I am sure looking forward to it. Fangirl is already on my TBR list, and Unbroken sounds very worthwhile.

BTW, I too would like to visit Carcassonne one day. I like the board game Carcassonne too. :)

I'm another who found Unbroken to be quite powerful. Looking forward to the movie coming out this year.

Found Eleanor & Park to be quite enjoyable. Have Fangirl and Attachments waiting for me at the library.

Will finish E&P today. Comments to follow.

I got Shattered from the library and was happy to see it is preceded by a short description of the story in the earlier volumes. I wish more series authors would do this.

>230 mamzel: That is a great idea, especially for series that go several years between installments.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (2013), narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra

I chose this book to listen to because it was the first available audiobook listed at the public library. It was a coincidence that it was the same author as the last book I read. I guess I felt like I should read some YA before school starts again. Not the best reasons for choosing a book. Especially for someone who is not a big fan of chick lit in the first place. I can only read it in small doses.

Eleanor is a heavy, red-headed girl who lives with her siblings, mother, and abusive, belligerent stepfather. Park is a half-Korean boy who enjoys comic books and music. The two are thrown together by the forces of school bus politics. Their relationship grows slowly, shyly, quietly, fearful of the snide comments of school mates and/or family. They end up making each other strong people, and they are given a whole new outlook on life.

What didn't thrill me about the book was the narration. As the book had chapters alternating between the two main characters, two narrators took the respective roles. They took great pains to follow the mood of the story, speaking in quiet, slow voices, too quiet and slow for me. The male narrator trying to give Eleanor a voice was grating to me.

I know that teens will love this book, especially the ones who consider themselves as outsiders. They will get uplifted by this story.

CATEGORY: SHIP'S HOLD (YA LIT)

>232 mamzel: It's too bad that the narrators made the book less enjoyable for you!