-Eva-'s 2+0+1+5 Challenge - Part 1

This year I'll be going for (2+0+1+5=) 8 categories with 10 books in each. Below is what my categories look like right now, but I'm guessing (from past experience) that at least one of them will be changed during the course of the year.

1. Original Language Fiction
2. Translated Fiction
3. Comic Books
4. Non-Fiction
5. Audiobooks and Ebooks
6. Vacation Reads - COMPLETED
7. Native American
8. Overflow

Original Language Fiction

1. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding Finished January 15th
2. The Secret Place by Tana French Finished January 29th
3. The Day of Atonement by David Liss Finished February 19th
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Translated Fiction

1. The Dedalus Book of Portuguese Fantasy edited by Eugénio Lisboa Finished March 29th
2. The City and the Mountains (original Portuguese: A Cidade e as Serras) by José Maria De Eça de Queirós Finished March 31st
3. The Inquisitors' Manual (original Portuguese: O Manual dos Inquisidores) by António Lobo Antunes
4. The Book of Disquiet (original Portuguese: Livro do Desassossego) by Fernando Pessoa
5. Ritualer (original Dutch: Rituelen) by Cees Nooteboom
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Comic Books

1. Saga, Vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughan Finished January 30th
2. 300 by Frank Miller Finished February 3rd
3. Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil by Michael Mignola Finished February 23rd
4. The Animal Man Omnibus by Grant Morrison Finished February 24th
5. The Dresden Files: War Cry Collection by Jim Butcher Finished March 17th
6. The Sculptor by Scott McCloud Finished April 6th
7.
8.
9.
10.

Non-Fiction

1. Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine Finished February 15th
2. Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley Finished April 12th
3. Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel Finished April 18th
4. Gubbe och katt by Nils Uddenberg Finished May 22nd
5. Good Eats: the Early Years by Alton Brown
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Audiobooks and Ebooks

1. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper Finished January 4th ♫
2. Doctor Who: The Monsters Inside by Stephen Cole February 21st ♫
3. How to Speak Dragonese by Cressida Cowell Finished February 27th ♫
4. Blood at the Root by Peter Robinson Finished March 17th ♫
5. Doctor Who: The Deviant Strain by Justin Richards Finished March 28th ♫
6. How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell Finished May 27th ♫
7.
8.
9.
10.

Vacation Reads - COMPLETED

1. Fables Vol. 20: Camelot by Bill Willingham Finished May 2nd
2. Tre män i en båt by Jerome K. Jerome Finished May 4th
3. När djävulen håller ljuset by Karin Fossum Finished May 7th
4. Svarta sekunder by Karin Fossum Finished May 10th
5. Mordet på Harriet Krohn by Karin Fossum Finished May 14th
6. Den som älskar något annat by Karin Fossum Finished May 16th
7. Den onda viljan by Karin Fossum Finished May 18th
8. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher Finished May 19th ♫
9. Döden skall du tåla by Karin Fossum Finished May 20th
10. Sturemordet by Jakob Nilsson (adapted from the story by Stieg Trenter) Finished May 21st

Native American

1. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman Finished January 17th
2. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman Finished February 2nd
3. Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country by Jason Aaron and R. M. Guéra Finished February 2nd
4. Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman Finished March 1st
5. Scalped Vol. 2: Casino Boogie by Jason Aaron Finished March 4th
6. Scalped Vol. 3: Dead Mothers by Jason Aaron Finished March 4th
7. Scalped Vol. 4: The Gravel in Your Guts by Jason Aaron Finished March 4th
8. Scalped Vol. 5: High Lonesome by Jason Aaron Finished March 5th
9. Scalped Vol. 6: The Gnawing by Jason Aaron Finished March 5th
10.

Overflow

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

I have two "difficult" categories this year, and I hope I'll at least make headway in them (last year I bailed on my non-fiction category) rather than just give up. Fingers Xed!

Nice set up, Eva. I have had a non-fiction category in my challenge for the last few years and I find if I try to read one non-fiction book a month, before I know it the category is filled.

I haven't got everything quite set up for my 2015 Challenge but I have dropped the non-fiction category and I think I am going to miss it. I hope to fit some non-fiction reads into my other categories.

Thanks for setting up the group, Eva. It feels like the California Gold rush over here, with everyone staking a claim already!

Nice broad categories but with some clear goals, I like it. :)

>12 MissWatson: LOL! An apropo analogy. :P

I'm still thinking through my categories and I like how broad you've made some of yours. Thanks for setting up the group, even though I won't start a thread just yet I like knowing that it's here.

Nice and with clearly definined cats. Good luck with it!

Thanks for setting up the group, Eva! So smart to include categories for CATs/group reads and overflow!

Well done, Eva! I'll enjoy following you again next year!

Good luck with the challenge.....and thanks for the creating the group! :)

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing what fills those categories :)

Love the pictures for your categories. I'll be dropping by.

Hi Eva, I'm back again to chart your wonderful reading in 2015! Looking forward to being hit with many many many many many BBs from you, as always. :)

Thanks for setting up the group, too!

Simple is good. I'm sure you'll be able to find lots of good things to fill your categories with.

>7 -Eva-: I love your Grumpy Cat photo! :D Best of luck with your reads next year.

Found and starred! Good luck!

dropping off a star.

Just thought I'd stop by and say hi. Good luck with your 2015 reading!

Hi, Eva! Looking forward to reading with you in the new year. Good luck with your "difficult" categories. :)

I love the Grumpy Cat photo! Good job on setting a challenge with a range of categories. I have been a wimp and have avoiding giving myself a difficult category for two years now..... looking forward to seeing how the reading pans out in 2015!

I like your setup. Which are your two difficult categories - I guess one is non-fiction? That's always a tough one for me as well.

Good luck with your challenge!

Hi Eva!

Our groups don't overlap anymore! :(

I'm still busy with the TIOLI challenges while I see you're very busy with the Category challenges.

I'm doing the 75 books, ROOTs, pages, and BookCrossing Mt TBR challenges this year. That's about all I can handle because I am also steward of my own Little Free Library.

I'm not going to join your challenge, but I'm going to drop you a star so I can stop in from time to time. Be well.

Hope your holidays were happy times. Wishing you all the best for 2015.

>31 SqueakyChu:
Hey Madeline!
Hope your holidays were great too!! Happy 2015 to you and yours.
I saw your pics of the Little Free Library - so pretty! One of my neighbors has one, so I tend to donate to that one - such a great idea!
I'll go find your 75:er so I keep tabs on you. Haha!

Love the categories!!! & I should've known a group of cats was a glaring. Speaking of alien creatures! Cats are definitely aliens.

Good Luck with the challenge & looking forward to a great year!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

I thought I had both commented and starred but apparently not. Love the pic for the overflow category! Haha!

Happy new Year Eva!

I like the pic for your Reading Globally category.

Good luck on your challenge.

Nice categories you have. I almost did a non-fiction category, as I have a few books that I want to read, but I think that would be the category "I read later". I'll be looking out for your books in that category though. Good luck!

Nice broad categories, and absolutely lovely pictures! I am especially curious how you fill the original language category. I live in Denmark for a while and really fell in love with Nordic literature - but there is still a lot to discover. So Swedish recommendations are very welcome.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Eva!

Happy weekend Eva!

Belated Happy New Year, Eva!

Thank you - hope you all had a great new year! First book of this year finally done. My holiday guests have left and it's back to work and normal schedule, so perhaps I can get some proper reading in now. :) That is, once I'm done with my Netflixathon... (A plague on whoever decided to put up all seasons of Friends!!)



#1



The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

On his 11th birthday, Will Stanton finds out he is one of the Old Ones, a guardian of The Light, and is charged with collecing the Circle of Signs to ward off the forces of The Dark. This is much more in line with what I had expected from this series (the first book didn't quite measure up) and I very much enjoyed all the spins on mythology and history. It is a young adult novel, but the baddies are scary enough for grown-ups and all characters are well-rounded and easy to get invested in. The reader of the audio version is also very good and I will be listening to the rest of the series to see what happens with both characters and plot.

Current reads: Continuing the Susan Cooper-series with Greenwitch and having a nostalgic Bridget Jones's Diary reread.

Glad the first book of the year was a good one for you.

>44 -Eva-: It's always nice to start the year with a good read.

Belated HNY! The Cooper doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy but glad you're off to a good start

>44 -Eva-: I'm so glad you liked the second book in the series. I knew that you would.

Howdy Eva!

The Dark is Rising is creepy! I agree with you though. The first one doesn't quite have the creep factor going quite right.

Yay for first book completed and I hear you on your Netflixathon. ;-)

Glad you liked The Dark is Rising. That book has been on Mt. TBR for SO long it's shameful.

Happy weekend!

Thank you all! Netflix is still very much my main squeeze at the moment, but I have managed to finish a couple of books. And, I'm currently working on The Secret Place, which is looking really good so far.



#2



Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

A year in the life of painfully self-aware Bridget Jones, a 30-something Londoner who zigzags her way through life, trying to avoid drinking, eating, or smoking too much, while dodging unattainable men and finding her own perfect "Mr. Darcy." This was such a fun novel the first time I read it and I really loved all the odd characters in Bridget's life. Since then, the movie version has come out and upon rereading the book, I realized that (don't hate me) I prefer the movie version. The book is still fun, but I think I may have become a little too old to be able to relate to Bridget and her friends' hang-ups and obsessions. Still happy to have reread it, but it'll go in the donation pile now.

Got this off its shelf for a reread thanks to @luvamystery65's group read - I had forgotten how much I love this series and the characters (even if its first installment isn't perfect).



#3



The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman

Anthropologist Bergen McKee comes to the Navajo Reservation to research anecdotes and stories of witches, while his old friend, Navajo Nation Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is searching for a suspect whose body turns up in an unexpected place and in a physical condition which suggests that Leaphorn has a true live witch on his hands. This first installment of the series may not be as good as those that follow, but it does still show that Hillerman is on to something great with his mysteries that explore traditional and modern life on the Navajo and Hopi reservations. This book shows that Hillerman hasn't quite settled on who his main character should be yet so the story feels slightly bifurcated, but the end result is still very good, especially for a first novel. With an interest in anthropology, my favorite parts are those that deal with the beliefs and rituals of the traditional people and Hillerman's description of The Enemy Way ceremony (Ana'í Ndáá') makes a regular mystery story into something three-dimensional by grounding it in a regular life that is quite extraordinary to those of us who do not inhabit the Dinétah or visit on a regular basis. Not my favorite installment as mentioned above, but it's become one of my favorite series, so I enjoyed seeing where it had its beginning.

Happy to see you're still around.

>55 BookLizard:
Thanks! I am still here, although not quite as often - the holidays were a lot of fun and I've been resenting getting back to normal. :) Then this last week was completely devoted to coughing and sneezing and being gross and yucky thanks to an icky cold that was making its rounds at work. Hopefully, I'll get back to reading like a normal person now. :)

56> You know you're really sick when you're too sick to read! Hope you're feeling better now.

I'm having fun myself with a sinus infection and laryngitis. I don't feel that sick, but I can barely talk. Doctor called in a prescription for an antibiotic for the sinus infection, so I picked it up on my lunch hour. Decided I needed fast food for lunch, so I stopped at McDonald's. I forgot about my laryngitis until I got to the drive-thru. Oops. Surprisingly, the guy got it right on the first try! I guess those speaker things must be just as bad on their end and they learn to decipher what people are saying. LOL.

Haha, that is quite an accomplishment! Perhaps that's the trick; to work the drive-thru speaker, be the drive-thru speaker. :)

>53 -Eva-: I hear you. I enjoyed the book, but I donated it long ago. The movie I love every time I watch it.

>56 -Eva-: >57 BookLizard: Get well soon, both of you! I had a cold a couple of weeks ago and it was terrible. This winter seems like an active one for seasonal illnesses.

Hi Eva! Bridget Jones's Diary is one I've reread as well. It's fun, but I think its greatest impact is on the first reading. And I have to say that never in my life did I smoke (at all) or drink that much - so I never did connect with that aspect of their social life.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend.

>54 -Eva-: I'm glad you decided to join us and reread this book. You really have me excited to move forward in the series and meet Jimmy Chee!

ETA: I hope you feel better soon.

I hope this morning finds you feeling more yourself!

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Hope you're feeling better! You're right - the movie is always enjoyable (Colin Firth!) but the book might not age as well.

>53 -Eva-: I'd also read Bridget Jones's Diary years ago and liked it and its sequel very much, but I too wonder if I'm getting too old to enjoy a reread. I never got around to reading the third book in the series.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

I read two of the three Bridget Jones book. The first one was okay, I didn't like the sequel.

Netflix is dangerous, so many shows/movies on there that cause major marathons.

Thank you all! Yes, feeling a lot better, thankfully. Being sick is not fun, but I needn't really tell anyone that... It's mad that we're at the end of January already, but here goes:



#4



The Secret Place by Tana French

When Frank Mackey's daughter, Holly, brings Detective Stephen Moran a clue that may help solve an old murder at her school, Moran sees a chance to make his way into the Murder Squad and he is even willing to team up with abrasive Detective Antoinette Conway and to battle Frank Mackey's parental instincts to make it so. Another long, meandering, captivating, mysterious, magical, and engaging story that is difficult to put down, especially since you have eight different suspects and the one most likely to be the killer can change from one page to the next, so you can't help to turn another page and another after that one. I loved that Frank was back and, as is true to his character, was wavering between being a good guy and being a bit of a bastard, depending on how much danger his daughter was in. The kids come across as realistic to me, but their language sometimes seems a little too slangy and I'm not sure how well they would work for a reader who is the same age as they are. One thing that bothered me a little, but which is very true of French's other books is the unexplained magical parts - I do wish I had been told the purpose, but having things left a little loose isn't entirely unexpected coming from this author. Highly enjoyable installment in a series I hope to see much more of.

#5



Saga, Vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Hazel is now a toddler who keeps Marko on his feet, Alana's new job brings unexpected trouble to the family's happiness, Prince Robot IV's son is kidnapped, and they all need to team up if they are ever to put things right. This is yet another excellent installment in an excellent series. The characters are so easy to get emotionally invested in and the stakes are truly life-or-death, which makes for a very high-pressure read. Which, of course, makes the wait for the next book in the series pretty much agony.

I didn't do as well as I had hoped this month, but there was one week when I had plague and didn't get anything read and then there was that Netflixathon that ate up a bunch of time. Currently working on Dance Hall of the Dead, the second in the Tony Hillerman series, which I am enjoying very much - so much so, in fact, that I am turning one of my categories into a "Native American" category (thanks again, @luvamystery65 for the reread nudge!) since I also have the Scalped series sitting on my Kindle and I want to get that one read this year.

January Summary:

Number of books: 5

Category Progress:
1. Original Language Fiction 2/11
2. Translated Fiction 0/11
3. Comic Books 1/11
4. Non-Fiction 0/11
5. Audiobooks and Ebooks 1/11
6. Group Reads and CATs 0/11
7. Native American 1/11
8. Overflow 0/11

Best read of the month: The Secret Place by Tana French because although it had some good competition this month, I'm always happy to enter the meandering world of French's mysteries.
Least good read of the month: Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding because it feels a bit too silly and immature and its film version is so much better.

>68 -Eva-: Not looking because I need to get to the 3rd book.

>70 -Eva-: I'll be reading Dance Hall of the Dead in March. I can't wait to get to it. Wow I inspired a category!

Scalped looks Kick A**!

>68 -Eva-: Good to hear you feel better. :-) Tana French really sounds interesting. I had heard the name before, but never looked at it in more detail. But your review definitely gives me a reason to do so.

>69 -Eva-: Glad to see Saga is holding up so well as it's definitely a series I intend to get to at some point.

Hooray for feeling better!

Your mentioning Tana French reminds me that I need to get to The Likeness soon (then my mum can borrow it, and we can continue acquiring the series).

I really enjoyed Tana French's first two books and this reminds me to get to The Secret Place sooner rather than later.

Glad you're feeling better!

I need to read the Saga series. I read just a sample on my iPad and it was fantastic.

I have read the first volume in the Saga series and I am hooked! I have the second one and the third is on order from the library. With all these new series I am discovering, when am I possibly going to find time to get back to some of my old graphic series that I have fallen behind on! Hmph! I guess that's actually a good problem to have. :)

Happy to see you are feeling better and thank you for the nudge towards the Tana French book(s).... I haven't read any of them yet.

Glad the plague has passed!

I have Saga vol 2 to get to, Claire has read it already and enjoyed it & I'm glad to see that the series continues to get good reviews from you too :-)

I'm hoping to get to Sage Vol. 3 soon. Glad to hear that the series continues to be good.

#6



Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman

When a young Navajo boy disappears and it turns out his Zuni friend may have been killed for revealing religious ceremony secrets, Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn has to figure out where the kachina spirits meet since Leaphorn is told that the missing boy is making his way there to make amends. The second book in a series can sometimes be a bit of a let-down, but in this case, Hillerman's first installment was the wavering one since it had a split viewpoint and in this installment, Leaphorn is our main character and his viewpoint is strong enough to carry the very high-stakes story. In this story we also get a simple introduction to Zuni religion and the wonders that are kachinas, in this case specifically kachina dancers and the fascinating masks they wear when representing their respective supernatural spirits. The books in this series are obviously fiction and not anthropology textbooks, but I do enjoy very much how Hillerman mixes his mysteries with southwest Native American culture to create a niche of his own.

#7



Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country by Jason Aaron and R. M. Guéra

Dashiell "Dash" Bad Horse returns to the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and becomes the "law," or rather the hard man for the self-proclaimed Chief of the Rez, but he comes armed not only with nunchucks, but with a dark secret that he has to work to keep under wraps. This is very dark and very graphic and don't confuse this with anything that subscribes to the "noble savage" myth; the people on the reservation are just as corrupt and greedy and violent as any character you can find in traditional noir. In addition, Dash's history with a few of the inhabitants makes for tension on an extreme level. Beware that this is very violet and not for anyone who prefers their mysteries on the cozy side - there's nothing cozy about drug dealers and organized crime. The art is absolutely en pointe and mirrors the gritty subject in both style and color. This first book in the series sets up a storyline and introduces characters that are absolutely impossible not to want to know more about - I'll be continuing this series for sure.

#8



300 by Frank Miller

A fictional retelling of the story of the Battle of Thermopylae and King Leonidas of Sparta and how he gathered 300 of his best men to stand up against the Persian army. This story ignores a lot of the actual history of this battle and the preparation beforehand, but it makes for an impressive tale (as well as for one very aesthetically appealing film). I'm not a huge fan of Miller's and get slightly irked by some of his more slapdash story choices (such as describing how Spartans fight and then ignore his own words when drawing the same), but I do enjoy this story as long as I remember it's in the action genre, not history. I have to admit I'm partial to the film, though, mainly because of its very striking post-production effects. The movie has a permanent place in my shelves, but the book will go in the donation-pile, unfortunately.

>84 -Eva-: That's too bad that the book wasn't as good as the movie, but good to know. Thanks! :)

Scalped sounds good so onto the wishlist it goes. Shame about 300 though.

>83 -Eva-: You got me with this one you crack shot!

ETA: My library actually has it. Whoop!

I'm not a Miller fan either and I remember that 300 didn't really work for me. Like the movie it just seemed to be a glorification of violence without much of a point. I didn't see the "awesome" and honor that others saw in the story.

>86 AHS-Wolfy: & >87 luvamystery65:
I think both of you will like Scalped - great story and a very good modern noir.

>88 andreablythe:
Movie-blood doesn't bother me very much when it's as stylized as it was in 300 and the movie's high post-production value is what brings me back to it. I have to admit, though, that on the first (and maybe second...) watch, the male physique portions were a big part of my enjoyment. :)

#9



Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine

This wildlife conservation travelogue is the result of BBC's asking Douglas Adams and zoologist Mark Carwardine to travel around the world in search of endangered creatures for a radio show. If you have an interest in conservation, this should already be on your list, but if you don't, this should really be on your list, not only because we should all be interested in life here on our earth but because Douglas Adams is one of the funniest people ever to have walked on its surface. You'd think talking about dying species would be dry and sad, but I think Adams could make an obituary a good laugh and it is to his credit that he never lets the humor outshine the actual topic and his accolades of the people who struggle every day to keep species alive for coming generations is always more than apt. I wish the book had more photos, but that's a small complaint and there are plenty available from other sources.

Highly recommended is also the TV follow-up series, in which Stephen Fry, who was a friend of Adams, accompanies Carwardine on a similar trip to see what has changed in the 20 years since Carwardine and Adams' trips. It can be watched on youtube - and then you can share my little crush on Mark Carwardine!! :) (We all already love Stephen Fry, right?!)

Hit me with a bullet with Last Chance to See, I think my daughter would also like this one.

>91 avatiakh: Me too!

>53 -Eva-: I've been thinking about re-reading Bridget too, and I'm pretty sure I'll have the same reaction that you did.

>90 -Eva-: Great review! I knew about the Stephen Fry series first, before I knew there was a book! Thanks for letting me know that it's on youtube to watch. I keep forgetting to check Hulu/Acorn/Netflix/whatever on Roku and see if it's streaming anywhere. And I'm always happy to investigate another guy to crush on. :)

Glad that you're feeling better - here's hoping the plague stays away!

>93 LauraBrook:
Yey, hope to get a crush-friend! :)

I think you can pass on Bridget. Have a rewatch of the movie instead!

>94 -Eva-: I'm on a roll tonight with Trivia Crush - I doubt it's going to last long, though!

>90 -Eva-: Last Chance to See sounds like a winner. I can't believe I've never run across it before. Thanks!

>95 Dejah_Thoris:
It's always up and down, you can sweep a whole game and then not be able to answer even one question the next five rounds. :)

We all already love Stephen Fry, right?!

>90 -Eva-: I even devoted a category to him back in 2009. Not sure this interviewer expected this answer to a question he often asks his guests. His reactions are priceless.

Stephen Fry on the meaning of life

Ha! The interviewer looks like he's praying during Fry's answer!

>90 -Eva-:
OMG! That sounds like so much fun!

>90 -Eva-: - I loved that the Kiwi guy said that they still received donations 20 years later based on the address in the back of the original book

That book was given to me as a present by a good friend after the radio show (there is a link somewhere on one of my previous challenge threads to the original radio show - well worth a listen) edit - it's here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/lastchancetosee/sites/radio/aye_aye.shtml and was basically responsible for me to go off to university to do Environmental Science (although being obsessed with my family and other animals when I was a kid probably turned me onto nature writing to start with)

>97 AHS-Wolfy:
He has a few flaws, it can't be denied, but I love that man with all my heart.

>98 mstrust:
Haha - true!

>99 andreablythe:
It is truly great. And not very long, so could fit on even the busiest LT:er's schedule... :)

>100 psutto:
That is brilliant - I love that! I almost did Marine Science, but the math got the better of me. Had I read this or heard the radio show at that time, I may have gone that way regardless. And thank you for that link - I meant to go look for it, but hadn't gotten to it yet. And they have an interview with the sound guy, Chris Muir - Adams described him SO wonderfully.

>90 -Eva-: - Last Chance to See is the kind of book I wouldn't not even give a second glance to, except for your review, Eva.

My husband and I loved the Adams book so much we sent our son a copy.

Oooh, so many links! Looking forward to watching them all over coffee this afternoon. :)

>102 lkernagh:
It doesn't have the world's most intriguing cover, does it!? :)

>103 hailelib:
I've ordered a few extra copies that I'll be handing out to friends.

>104 LauraBrook:
You have a lot of fun ahead of you! :)

#10



The Day of Atonement by David Liss

When his parents are arrested by the Inquisition, Sebastião Raposa is whisked away to England by a family friend, but returns to Lisbon under an assumed name to take his revenge upon the one responsible for his fate, Inquisitor priest Pedro Azinheiro. This is my first Liss, but I've heard good things about his historic novels and this one does not let him down. It's not a mystery per se (although billed as such), but an exciting adventure novel with a storyline vaguely reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo, although Sebastião is far from wealthy and has to make do with what he can find. He does turn into a bit of a superhero in one part of the novel, fighting off a large number of armed guards in mere seconds, which is a huge shame but I still wanted to know how it would all work out, so not a deal-breaker, obviously. Also, I very much enjoyed spending time in pre-earthquake Lisbon and learning about the influence of the Inquisition on this part of the world. I very much doubt Liss has ever been in an earthquake, because his descriptions don't really sound right, but for most of the novel, I felt myself absolutely transported to the time and place, and that puts Liss' other books firmly on my to-read list.

#11



Doctor Who: The Monsters Inside by Stephen Cole

The Doctor and Rose end up on Justicia, a prison camp where Rose finds herself locked up in a borstal and the Doctor is made part of a scientific work-camp. This one has a really good plot and the "baddies" are better described here than they were depicted in the TV show. It is, however, slightly let down by the fact that the author has made the Ninth Doctor a bit too happy-go-lucky (he's actually more like the Tenth Doctor) when he should have more gravitas. Also, the narrator of the audio version has a nasal and slightly shrill voice, which works when she does Rose, but gets annoying with the other characters, so I'd recommend the paper version if this is on your list.

>106 -Eva-: Suzanne (@chatterbox) has also been raving over this David Liss book of late in the 75ers group. I have one or two of his books so must get to them.

>108 avatiakh:
It's a story that really sucks you in - quite the page-turner - but also very informative. So, the definition of good historic fiction in my book.

>106 -Eva-: - I've read his book The Coffee Trader and liked it quite a bit and I have two of his Benjamin Weaver sereis in my TBR pile which I should try and get to.

I like both Douglas Adams and Stephen Fry, so it sounds like I need to check out Last Chance to See as well as the TV series. Thanks for the review.

>106 -Eva-: - The Liss book sounds like a goodie!

Hi Eva! Day of Atonement was one of my SantaThing books this year. I've read three of his books so far and liked all of them. I'm looking forward to this one!

I tend to skip narrative versions of TV episodes, as they usually annoy me.

>106 -Eva-: Day of Atonement is definitely on my list! Thanks for the great review.

>90 -Eva-: I got Last chance to see from the library a couple of days ago and my teenage daughter is loving it. She's an Adams fan.

Re the tv series: there's a youtube clip featuring Stephen Fry, the photographer and a New Zealand kakapo that's a little bit hilarious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY

>110 dudes22: & >113 cbl_tn:
Good to know - that means this one wasn't a fluke, which very good. I have a few of the Weaver ones too and am looking forward to getting to them.

>114 andreablythe:
Normally I'd agree, but Adams has me charmed.

>116 avatiakh:
Yey, glad to hear it was a success! That is a great clip indeed. The Kakapo is just one of the best animals ever, isn't it?! So gracious getting out of trees. :) Or, as Adams described it, "it flies like a brick."

#12



The Animal Man Omnibus by Grant Morrison

After getting to close to an exploding alien spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the power to borrow the abilities of any animal and becomes the superhero Animal Man who is a crime fighter, animal rights activist, and suburban husband and dad. I really liked the idea of a superhero who lives a normal life rather than being a lone outcast and I also liked that he fights for animal rights. There are quite a few storylines in this omnibus that I liked, but, unfortunately, the overall impression is not entirely favorable. The animal rights parts get quite heavy-handed from time to time and when Animal Man is part of other comics' storylines, I get completely lost. I assume that they make sense for someone who has a firm grasp on what everyone in the Justice League is up to at all times, but for me it was just a lot of turning pages and not knowing what on earth was going on. I liked the metafiction parts for their discussion (I didn't know the characters, obviously) and that the supercat can use his laser vision to open food cans (the dream skill of any cat, I think). One thing that I realize irked me more than it perhaps should have is that the typewriter monkey is an ape - how does nobody in a book about animals notice that and keep calling it a monkey? I get the whole infinite monkey theorem thing, but why not then just draw a monkey? So, some interesting storylines, some fun ideas, and some things that just irritated me. Won't rush to find another Morrison, but won't avoid either.

#13



Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil by Michael Mignola

This edition includes "Seed of Destruction" in which Hellboy appears after Grigori Rasputin attempts to summon the Ogdru Jahad to the earth, "Wake the Devil" in which Rasputin's Nazi team attempts to bring back vampire Vladimir Giuresc, and a few sketchbook excerpts. Now this was a lot of fun: intriguing universe, charismatic and mysterious characters, and a storyline that brought me to unexpected places. The art is blocky at first, but after getting used to it, I can't imagine that it could have been done better for the subject matter. I got the "library edition" of this because it's very large and very pretty (and I've heard the glue isn't very good in the paperbacks), but it's so heavy (4+ lbs) that it's a bit hard to read - just a heads-up if you're thinking of buying. I've seen the movie-version of this and liked it, but I think I'll go back for another watch now that I have more background. I preferred Hellboy's appearance in the book, but the movie got a lot of other things right and Ron Perlman was great, so no hard feelings.

Shame Animal Man didn't work out for you but glad to see Hellboy did. Guess that's another that will have to go on the graphic novels to get to at some point list.

Sigh... So many graphic novels, so little time ...

>90 -Eva-: I saw the Stephen Fry series of Last Chance to See a while back (a couple of years?) but didn't know/realize there was a Douglas Adams predecessor. I have to check that out pronto! (Well, not pronto because I have a million and one other things to see that's going to take me a while to get through but I'm definitely putting it on my list)

>121 DeltaQueen50: You speak the truth!

So hard to resist the comics too - they're all very shiny! :)

I managed to squeeze in a short one just before February ends - see you all in March! :)



#14



How to Speak Dragonese by Cressida Cowell

Hiccup and Fishlegs are learning how to board an enemy ship, but instead find a Roman battle ship and get taken hostage and made to fight in a gladiator arena. This series is very much for kids, but with David Tennant as the reader, I have to admit to enjoying them quite a lot. Funny characters, and lots of talk about poo and boogers for the little ones to enjoy.

February Summary:

Number of books: 9

Category Progress:
1. Original Language Fiction 3/11
2. Translated Fiction 0/11
3. Comic Books 4/11
4. Non-Fiction 1/11
5. Audiobooks and Ebooks 3/11
6. Group Reads and CATs 0/11
7. Native American 3/11
8. Overflow 0/11

Best read of the month: Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine, because it's both important and entertaining.
Least good read of the month: The Animal Man by Grant Morrison, because half the time I had no idea what was going on. And there's an ape where there should have been a monkey.

>124 -Eva-: - An audiobook read by David Tennant? I am in!

Morrison is a bit hit & miss for me, although i've not read Animal Man. I enjoyed the invisibles series and arkham asylum and the first couple of Doom Patrol are amusing

>119 -Eva-:
I need to get around to reading some Hellboy, but I haven't been reading much graphic novels lately.

>126 lkernagh:
He's a really good reader. I've listened to quite a few of his Doctor Who reads as well.

>127 psutto:
I've been recommended his We3 by a few people here on LT, so that would be the one I would try if I trip across it.

>128 andreablythe:
It definitely worth the read - lots of great characters.



#15



Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman

And old man and a young girl are murdered, but the Listening Woman who was with them is not touched, and it's up to Lieutenant Leaphorn why the murders were committed and why the shaman was left to bear witness. This is a great installment in the series which will provide a generous helping of Navajo culture and a big serving of action to go along. You can tell this is an early book in the series by the amount of running around Leaphorn gets to do - he's a bit older in the later installments (and lets Chee do the running). The mystery itself is quite involved as well with some very unexpected plot twists. The books that involve both Leaphorn and Chee are my favorites in the series, but this is a solid installment in the sole-Leaphorn canon.

I know I've said this is a good series, but I have to take that back - this isn't good, it's spectacular. NOTE: This is a very graphic series where drugs and sex and violence abound and are often intermixed - not for the faint of heart. Don't say I didn't warn you.



#16-#20



Scalped Vol. 2: Casino Boogie by Jason Aaron
Scalped Vol. 3: Dead Mothers by Jason Aaron
Scalped Vol. 4: The Gravel in Your Guts by Jason Aaron
Scalped Vol. 5: High Lonesome by Jason Aaron
Scalped Vol. 6: The Gnawing by Jason Aaron

Welcome to the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where the inhabitants have to wrestle with crime, drugs, alcoholism, and a nurturing and almost asphyxiating cultural inheritance. It's dark, it's gruesome, it's violent and cruel, it hits you in the stomach and, before you have caught your breath, comes back and punches you again. It's about humans, trying to survive in the harshest of worlds, desperately clinging to some ideal that they've half forgotten, partially due to an all-encompassing cynicism and partially due to their own growing coldness, but humans at the core, hurt again and again by their hope for something good that, seemingly inevitably, always turns to bad. It's a story that won't leave you alone for a long time after you've closed its pages. It's one of the best examples of noir I have ever encountered and I can only hope I encounter something as good again.

>130 -Eva-: I need to see if I can get hold of Scalped at any of my libraries. You're tempting me something dreadful.

I know I've said this is a good series, but I have to take that back - this isn't good, it's spectacular

Your work is done, I've just requested Scalped vol 1 from my library.

Last Chance to See looks really good. I've not come across it before. The Tana French and Day of Atonement are also tempting.

>130 -Eva-: You've just cemented Scalped's place on the need to get to list.

>130 -Eva-: Definitely adding Scalped to the list of must-reads!

Me too - adding Scalped to the list!

Looks like you got me with Scalped too!

I've read We3 forgot that was Morrison - its pretty good

None of my libraries has Scalped. :(

I will be avoiding Scalped - not my kind of genre - but I do love seeing a GN series receiving so much love!

Scalped is very much worth the time!

>139 lkernagh:
It's also an extra graphic version of its genre, so don't even try. :)

>129 -Eva-: Looks like you are continuing to enjoy the Hillerman books. I read most of those a long time ago. I probably have a few that I didn't read, but I don't remember which they were.

>141 thornton37814:
I am! I read them too a long time ago and it was really nice to see that they are as good as my memory said they were. I'm very happy that the 75:ers decided to do a group read (which is what inspired me to reread), because I found two that I hadn't read. I'm still on the sole-Leaphorn ones, though, and I remember liking the Chee-ones even more.

>142 -Eva-: I think I liked the ones with Chee better also.

Oooo! Scalped goes on the WL. But I'm taking your warning to heart. Just the name of the series is a warning.

139> I'm with you.

went into comics store at the weekend & they didn't have issue 1 of scalped!

Will have to try a different store...

The reading-pace over here is very slow at the moment for some reason - hopefully the funk will be over soon. I have managed to finish one audio and one graphic novel, so that's something. :)



#21



Blood at the Root by Peter Robinson

An outspoken neo-Nazi man is murdered, but when Inspector Banks starts investigating, it seems other motives could be behind the violent homicide. Another good installment in a consistently good series. This one has a solid mystery but also quite a lot of personal information about the characters (there's a big change in Banks' life) and I enjoyed both parts very much.



#22



The Dresden Files: War Cry Collection by Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden and an assigned team is sent to a house in Montezuma, Iowa, to rescue a group of Venatori Umbrorum from an attack of the Red Court, but it turns out the house holds a secret that should not be unleashed upon the world. I like these "interim" comic books about the continuing adventures of Dresden and company and this one has a good storyline and very nice art, but it is very short and Harry isn't quite his usual sharp self. Don't bother if you haven't read other books in the series (since you have to know about the Red and White Council to get what's going on), but if you are a regular "Dresdener," this one takes place between the events in Dead Beat and Proven Guilty.

>147 -Eva-: Hopefully I'll manage to read one of those by Peter Robinson at some point. I'm pretty sure I've got one on a wish list. Is this a series that needs to be read in order?

March has been a bit of a reading funk month for me too.

I had a bit of a reading funk in February. Hoping it wasn't contagious :S

Howdy Eva!

Add me to the list of MUST get Scalped.

Graphic novels are a good way to keep your count up while you try to find a novel to get you back in the mood. I've got two from the library for the HUB challenge I'm attempting. Afterlife with Archie: Escape from Riverdale and Through the Woods.

>152 mamzel: I too find that graphic novels and audiobooks are good when I'm in a reading funk. I'll be interested in seeing what you think of Afterlife with Archie. I saw that in a bookstore a few weeks ago and was much intrigued.

>148 thornton37814:
Not at all - there is some personal information in the background, but nothing that really impacts the mystery parts.

>149 lkernagh: & >150 rabbitprincess:
The funks are not fun, but as long as they go away eventually!

>151 luvamystery65:
I think you'll like them, a lot!

>152 mamzel: & >153 mathgirl40:
I noticed my total for this month isn't going to be bad at all thanks to graphic novels. :)
Through the Woods looks really good - I'll have to see if my library has it.

>154 -Eva-: Are you participating in the HorrorKIT? April's theme is graphic novels and short stories. Anyhow, I hope you get out of the reading funk soon. :)

>155 mathgirl40:
No HorrorKIT for me. I have a hard time reading horror since it has to be light outside and early enough in the day for me to forget everything I have read by the time I go to bed. Yep, I'm a sissy. :)

Hi Eva! One of these days I'll get around to Peter Robinson. I think I have one or two of his books in my TBR stash.

#23



Doctor Who: The Deviant Strain by Justin Richards

Captain Jack accidentally answers a distress call in the TARDIS and he, the Doctor, and Rose find themselves in a Russian town where aliens cause people to age prematurely. This is one of the better story-lines in a Who-novel, but the characters aren't acting entirely true and the reader does the characters' accents so poorly that it repeatedly takes the reader out of the story. Having the Doctor speak upper class English makes him sound pretentious and that doesn't exactly make him likable. Great story, but stay away from the audio and stick to pap

#24



The Dedalus Book of Portuguese Fantasy edited by Eugénio Lisboa

This installment in the Dedalus European Fantasy series offers a collection of stories with haunted houses, roads to nowhere, hanged men who come to life, and cannibalism. The more contemporary of the stories are closest to the modern definition of fantasy, while the older lean more toward gothic horror, but they all have a place in the collection. Eça de Queirós' story is (unsurprisingly) one of my favorites, but I also found a couple of new writers who I will be looking out for in the future. Some of these writers are translated into English for the first time here, so unfortunately this may be all that can be found for those of us who don't read Portuguese.

#25



The City and the Mountains by José Maria De Eça de Queirós

After spending most of his life being part of the crème de la crème of Paris, Jacinto de Tormes returns with his friend José "Zé" Fernandes, our narrator, to his family estate in Portugal to see that the bones of his ancestors are properly installed in the newly renovated chapel, but once there, the people and vistas of the Portuguese countryside show him a completely different way of life and the discovery will change Jacinto's life forever.

Jacinto's Paris is full of interesting and cultured people, amazing invention and technological wonders, and a plethora of knowledge and art. It is a sumptuous world that satisfies and satisfies until it satiates and Jacinto's fascination becomes boredom and ennui, because, being at heart an idealist, he craves improvement and in the "perfect world" that is Paris, everything is already improved. So, when he reluctantly returns to the country and finds that he can be genuinely needed, the idealist has found his right place and the civilized life in Paris seems synthetic in comparison.

Eça de Queirós' story is a satire of the city's artificiality and the posturing of its people, a satire which eventually becomes outright mockery when juxtapositioned with the countryside's authenticity and its salt of the earth people. The story arc could certainly have been a lot more complex and the characters are sometimes allowed to wax philosophical in a less than subtle way, but Eça de Queirós' style is beautiful enough to make even those passages enjoyable.

Unfortunately, the ending (which was finished after Eça de Queirós' death by his close friend and sometime writing partner, Ramalho Ortigão) gets excessively flowery and should probably have been left out completely since the satire turns into pure pastoral idyll and loses the edge it had in the beginning. However, Eça de Queirós' descriptions of the Portuguese landscape makes up for any deficiency in the story and what starts out as a sharp and funny critique of "civilization" turns into a beautiful celebration of all things natural.

It's a good thing there are graphic novels, or my monthly total would have been very low indeed... :)

March Summary:

Number of books: 11

Category Progress:
1. Original Language Fiction 3/11
2. Translated Fiction 2/11
3. Comic Books 5/11
4. Non-Fiction 1/11
5. Audiobooks and Ebooks 5/11
6. Group Reads and CATs 0/11
7. Native American 9/11
8. Overflow 0/11

Best read of the month: The Scalped series by Jason Aaron for being one of the best examples of noir I've ever read.
Least good read of the month: Doctor Who: The Deviant Strain by Justin Richards because the reader's strange accents take you out of the story.

The Dedalus Book of Portuguese Fantasy by edited by Eugénio Lisboa looks really good. I enjoyed The City and the Mountains and have his The Crime of Father Amaro down to read this month.
The Reading Globally group are doing a Iberian Peninsula challenge for the next three months and the thread makes interesting reading: http://www.librarything.com/topic/189380

Oh, The City and the Mountains looks interesting!

Thanks for the warning about the Dr Who audio. My library has that one in paperback so I will borrow it in that format.

>162 avatiakh:
Thanks for the heads-up about Reading Globally - I'll definitely check that out!! The Crime of Father Amaro is great - hope you enjoy! I noticed Lisboa has edited other Portuguese collections and have put those on the wishlist as well.

>163 lkernagh:
One of my favorite authors, for sure. I think my favorite is still The Maias, but I haven't found one of his I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

>164 rabbitprincess:
Yes! The narrator was very distracting.

156> You're not alone. When I read a horror novel by mistake, I had to stay up all night finishing it . . . and then some.

>160 -Eva-: Hi Eva! The City and the Mountains sounds interesting. My public library has a copy so I've added it to my wishlist.

#26



The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

David Smith makes a deal with Death to be able to sculpt anything he wants with his bare hands, but in return he will only have 200 days to live. I enjoyed the author's Understanding Comics so was very interested to see what he would do with fiction. The drawing style is similar and the premise fascinating, but it didn't quite live up to its promise, partially because I didn't feel that someone who has pondered his situation for as long as David has would have so little direction once given an opportunity. The bigger issue I had with it, though, was that the love-interest doesn't feel like a real person at all, but rather the idea of a person, your basic "Manic Pixie Dream Girl." This becomes very problematic when her personal problems are presented since they don't evoke any sort of emotional response in me - a character who doesn't feel real is difficult to care about. And, the "fix" to all of her psychological issues is extraordinarily improbable: when she gets pregnant, she's completely cured of her depression?? I thought that was quite dismissive of a very serious condition. And if I don't even care when that character dies, we're in deep trouble! Sorry, can't recommend this one, even if the idea is really intriguing and the author's theoretical knowledge of story-telling is solid.

I had myself a little Harry Potter movie-marathon and then realized that this one has been on Mt. TBR for many years unread.



#27



Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley

A scrapbook-like book about the making of the Harry Potter films. This is very attractive graphically and includes a lot of loose extras, like booklets, stickers, a mini-version of the Marauder's Map, and Harry's acceptance letter to Hogwarts, etc. It has (very) short anecdotes from the actors, directors, and other production staff, as well as some details about the process of producing the different movies. It is very cursory, though, so if you are a die-hard HP-fan, I would suggest getting Harry Potter Page to Screen instead, since that one is much more detailed than this one. This is still a very pretty book since the emphasis seems to be on the graphic design and the extras, so it'll stay in my bookshelf even if I won't be reading it cover-to-cover again.

#28



Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel

A photographic survey of thirty families in the world: their family connections, possessions, and everyday tasks are photographed and discussed in relation to other people in their respective country. Being over 20 years old, some of these entries are obviously dated (e.g. the photographed war in Bosnia has been over for a couple of decades and it would be really interesting to see a current situation version of that particular entry), but they still make it quite clear how very differently people on this globe lives. For some, their "most valuable possession" is a cello or a TV, for some it's a bike (to get to work), and for some there are none - they own nothing of value. If for no other reason, this is worth a read for whenever you (like me...) feel like complaining about Netflix not streaming the movie you want to watch or when you forgot to pick up something at the store and have to make another run. There is obviously no way one person could fix all of the wrongs in the world, but it doesn't hurt to get reminded about how well many of us live, compared to most other people in the world.

Wow, I'm really off on my reading. I was last month too, but the numbers were boosted then by graphic novels. No such boost this month. Looking forward to get back my reading-joy, but I know it can't be forced, so I'm leaving it alone.

April Summary:

Number of books: 3

Category Progress:
1. Original Language Fiction 3/11
2. Translated Fiction 2/11
3. Comic Books 6/11
4. Non-Fiction 3/11
5. Audiobooks and Ebooks 5/11
6. Group Reads and CATs 0/11
7. Native American 9/11
8. Overflow 0/11

Best read of the month: The Material World: A Global Family Portrait series by Peter Menzel because, albeit dated, it's eye-opening and makes you think about the world around you.
Least good read of the month: The Sculptor by Scott McCloud because the characters feel like ideas rather than people.

And, yes, I know April is not over yet, but I know I won't finish any more books before the end of the month. (I'm currently making my way through Good Eats: the Early Years and am loving it, but it's not a speed-read.) Also, it's time for my vacation! I'll be missing from LT until Memorial Day and am going home to see la famiglia in Sweden and am really excited! I have so much to do before I leave, though, and I try not to be on the internet too much on vacation, so I'll try to get around to the threads before I leave, but if I don't make it to yours, I'm sorry! See you all in a while!!!

I've been tempted to try McCloud's comics since I've enjoyed his NF stuff - I will avoid the sculptor though!

>171 -Eva-: Safe travelling, Eva, and enjoy the vacation!

Enjoy your trip home!

Hope you have a good trip!

>171 -Eva-: Have a wonderful vacation. We'll miss you, but I'm sure you will enjoy being with your family.

Have a great time with your family and enjoy the vacation.

Bon voyage Eva! I hope you have a wonderful visit with your family and time to enjoy plenty of the things you miss most about home.

Enjoy your vacation and we'll see you when you get back.

Have a good trip home and enjoy the time with your family. :) Now I'm jealous, I would love to go to Sweden again soon...

Have a great trip!

Have a great vacation!!

(Edited to change my question marks to exclamation marks as originally intended. lol.)

Very wise words about not pushing the reading-joy, it will come back naturally - maybe while you are in mid-flight!

Have a wonderful trip!

Välkommen! :)

Enjoy your trip Eva! We'll keep your thread warm.

Have a wonderful time!

Have a great holiday and hope you get to read some good books.

Safe travels and have a wonderful time!

We'll be in Sweden in June - you'll have to tell us what the must see sights in Stockholm are!? Have fun!

Have a great time on your vacation!

Hope you have a great trip!!

Have a great vacation Eva. Safe travels!

Hope your vacation is going wonderfully well! In the meantime, I've take a BB with The Dedalus Book of Portuguese Fantasy.

#29



Fables Vol. 20: Camelot by Bill Willingham

Rose Red's is becoming the Paladin of Hope and starts to realize her idea to form a new Camelot and gather knights for a brand new Round Table while the people of Fabletown are working hard to gather shards to put Bigby Wolf back together. Another great installment in this great series. I was very sad to hear that the series is coming to its end (volume 22 will be the last one), but it's been a great ride and this installment lives up to the series as a whole. I will be rereading this series many times over.

#30



Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

Half travel guide and half humorous story about three friends who go on a boating holiday on the Thames. I had heard this was funny, but I was surprised how well the humor has stood the test of time; I even laughed out loud a couple of times. I hadn't actually realized that it started out as a travel guide, so those parts were somewhat of a surprise, but still very interesting, since I know the area reasonably well. Not surprised this keeps getting listed on various "classics" lists.

#31



When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karin Fossum

A burglary goes awry for the burglar when the victim strikes back and holds him hostage in a dank cellar. I really enjoyed how all the characters have complex backgrounds and ulterior motives that help complicate the plot and keep the stakes high. Sejer's side story with his new girlfriend, psychiatrist Sara, who is so very different from him, adds a bit of entertaining levity to the story. Fossum is really great at making intricate characters who add lots of texture to her nicely worked out plots.

#32



Black Seconds by Karin Fossum

A little girl disappears and when her body is found in a ditch, it appears someone has cared for her remains long after death. It's not too difficult to guess the who in the whodunnit and how the murder happened, but the red herring characters are so very interesting and, even if you are not tricked into believing they're the guilty ones, they're so psychologically engaging that the story keeps pulling you in.

#33



The Murder of Harriet Krohn by Karin Fossum

Charlo is trying to put his life back together and to win back his daughter's affection, but his "solution" results in the death of the title's Harriet Krohn. This is told from the murderer's point of view and Sejer only appears occasionally and at the end, where his powers of persuasion and interrogation are showcased. I do refer the books where Sejer is at the forefront, but this one is interesting for its make discussions about guilt and responsibility. Not my favorite in the series, but definitely worth a read.

#34



The Water's Edge by Karin Fossum

A small boy is found dead and it is obvious that he has been sexually molested, which makes the parents in the village very anxious, but when a second boy goes missing, the anxiousness turns into frantic fear. Although the crime is very gruesome (obviously, as it involves children), there is no reveling in details, which I'm thankful for. It's also interesting to see how Fossum deals with explaining the thought-process of the molester and makes it make sense. The second mystery is solves in an unexpected way, which is good, but borders a little bit too close to out-of-the-blue. As always, Fossum fills her books with interesting characters that make every page well worth reading.

#35



Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum

Three friends go away for a weekend, but when one of them takes his life in front of his friends, a hidden and terrible past is forced to the surface. Very different mystery that at the same time does and does not have any guilty characters. The mental processes of the characters are at the forefront in this one, and, as usual, Fossum is very clever at making her characters real and relatable, even if the mystery itself isn't exactly flummoxing. Especially the mothers' connection made this a rewarding read - nice to come away from a mystery with some slight sense of "feel-good."

#36



Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

Harry has been killed and his spirit is trapped in the Between and he needs to find his own killer in order to save his friends. This is a bit of an odd one since Harry has such a strange situation to deal with and no powers to work with. I did enjoy it quite a bit, though, since his character had the regular sharp wit and even sharper tongue - he is a very funny character, even when he's dead. This audio is read by John Glover who does a really good job, but I have to admit I did miss James Marsters a little bit (apparently Marsters has recorded a new version of the audio, which I will have to check out next time I reread the series).

#37



The Caller by Karin Fossum

A young man, whose home life leaves much to be desired, takes his aggression out on random people with cruel "pranks" that end up having serious repercussions. I really liked how we got to follow all the victims and the perpetrator and get their backstories - it made for a multi-dimensional read that kept the stakes high. Sejer's story and his physical health (or rather its deterioration) also works to raise the stakes. Very interesting installment in a high-quality series I would recommend to any and all mystery-readers.

#38



Sturemordet by Jakob Nilsson (adapted from the story by Stieg Trenter)

Harry Friberg is at the Turkish Bath when a body falls through the ceiling, a body that turns to have been drowned and Harry gets the task to find out how the body ended up where it did, and why. Trenter was an extremely popular mystery writer during the 1940s and his books have stood the test of time, not necessarily because of the mysteries themselves, but because Trenter was extremely deft at describing Stockholm and its surrounding areas. I've not read any of Trenter's books, so I thought I'd give this graphic adaptation a try and it's good news: Nilsson's art is absolutely brining the feel of 1940s Stockholm and, although I don't know what the original is like, I think he's caught Trenter's feel very well. The mystery itself is quite dated, but the cultural aspects more than made up for that for me. (Unfortunately, this is currently not available in English.)

#39



Gubbe och katt by Nils Uddenberg

One cold winter morning, the author and his wife find a cat sitting on their fence, and, despite having long ago decided never to get a pet, they soon take the cat into the house and into their hearts and life is never again the same. This is obviously a very sweet story about the love that develops between man and animal, but what's really different here is Uddenberg's ponderings on the mind of the cat - being a psychiatrist, he can't help but wonder about the psychological workings of his new friend. He's great about not becoming too sentimental about the cat - he is very aware that the cat is becoming a huge part of the family's life, while, for the cat, they are mainly a ticket to food, warmth, and some cuddles. Someone said the read leaves you feeling smooth in your soul and I absolutely concur. (Unfortunately, this is currently not available in English.)

#40



How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell

Hiccup must rescue his best friend, Fishlegs, from the deadly disease Vorpentitis by finding what is commonly thought of as a mythological vegetable: a potato. Another fun installment in a very entertaining series for children. David Tennant is a great reader for the audio-version.

May Summary:

Number of books:

Category Progress:
1. Original Language Fiction 3/10
2. Translated Fiction 2/10
3. Comic Books 6/10
4. Non-Fiction 4/10
5. Audiobooks and Ebooks 6/10
6. Vacation Reads 10/10
7. Native American 9/10
8. Overflow 0/10

Best read of the month: Lots of good choices this month, but I'll go with Gubbe och katt because it was very endearing and sweet at the same time as actually saying something.
Least good read of the month: Very difficult to pick one, but I'll go with Sturemordet only because I didn't think the actual murder plot was that intriguing - everything else was good, though.

Since I'm half-way through the challenge, number-wise, I think it's time for a new thread. Hope to see you all over at the new one!