Mamzel's 2015 Challenge

Welcome to the Doctor Who challenge!
I came relatively late to the series (David Tennant) but I thoroughly enjoy them now. Saturday night is the night both of my kids come home for dinner and we enjoy watching the program together. I find the time between seasons rather hollow.

Each category is dedicated to one of the doctors. Thanks to Wikipedia I had a list of episode titles and pictures from the episodes to decorate each one.

Allons-y - the TARDIS is underway. Who knows when or where we'll end up!

Running tally:

1. YA and children lit - 5
2. Fantasy - 2
3. empty
4. Technolit
5. Nonfiction - 2
6. ROOTs - 3
7. Tomes
8. Mystery - 3
9. Non-American authors - 4
10. 1001 Books
11. Cross-genre
12. Audiobooks - 1
13. Miscellaneous
14. Group reads and CATs - 5

Total books read to date: 25

Outstanding books (4.5-5 stars)



Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
The Martian by Andy Weir

The Unearthly Child
This was the very first episode starring William Hartnell and is dedicated to YA and other children literature.

1. The Green Man by Michael Bedard (2012)
2. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (2014)
3. Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (2010)
4. Brain Jack by Brian Falkner (2009)



1. The Terrorist's Son by Zak Ebrahim (2014)
2. The Martian by Andy Weir (2014)
3. This or That?: The Wacky Book of Choices to Reveal the Hidden You (National Geographic Kids) by Crispin Boyer (2014)

The Abominable Snowman

Patrick Troughton was the second doctor and I chose this episode to represent the fantasy genre.

1. Locke & Key 6-volume series by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2012-2014)
2. Lost Horizon by James Hilton (1933)

Frontier in Space

John Pertwee is the third doctor and I thought the title of this episode was perfect for a science fiction category.

I'm closing this category but leaving the post open since I don't want to delete a Doctor. There are too many other categories these books could fall into.

Robots of Death

Tom Baker was the Doctor when I became aware of the series. I was in college at the time. I've been reading a lot of what I like to call technolit which involves computers and other high tech stuff - as it exists today.

Terminus

I better remember Peter Davisson from his role in All Creatures, Great and Small but he was also the fifth doctor and came back for the great reunion shows. This will be my category for nonfiction.

1. More Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data, edited by Nicole C. Engard (2015)
2. This or That? (touchstone not working) by Crispin Boyer (2014)

The Ultimate Foe

The sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, sure had the 80s hair! I thought this title was very apropos for my ROOTs category.

1. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (2010)
2. Roman Dusk: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (2008)
3. The King's Sword by C.J. Brightley (2012)
4. Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden (2003)

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy

Sylvester McCoy, the seventh Doctor, starred in this episode which I chose to represent the doorstops (books with >500 pages) I will read in 2015.

1. Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell (1959)

Doctor Who

Paul McGann, the eighth Doctor, only appeared in one movie. At least the title is good for my mystery category.

1. A Rare Benedictine by Ellis Peters (1990)
2. Sandman by R. Robert Janes (2012)
3. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters (orig. 1980, audio 2010), narrated by Johanne Ward

Aliens of London

This episode title from Christopher Eggleston's Doctor will represent my non-American reading.

1. The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café by Alexander McCall Smith (2014)
2. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott (orig. 1884)
3. Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1972)
4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (orig. 1892)

The Shakespeare Code

David Tennant, the 10th Doctor and my favorite to date, stars in one of my all time favorite episodes. The Bard's name refers to any books from the 1001 Books-to-Read-Before-I-Die list. I try to get to two or three per year.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (orig. 1795)
2. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (orig. 1898)

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

The eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, had one of his giddiest moments in this episode. I'll list my books which can be classified in two or more genres. Of course.

Listen

Peter Capaldi is our twelfth and most recent Doctor. As I write, this was the episode viewed last weekend and it blew me away! It also will represent audiobooks, either on CD or via Overdrive on my phone.

1. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris, narrated by David Sedaris, Dylan Baker, Elaine Stritch, Sian Phillips (2010)

The Day of the Doctors

This was the epic episode where John Hurt was the War Doctor and starred with both David Tennant and Matt Smith with a special appearance by Tom Baker. I'm not sure what books will end up here but will make it available for any titles that don't fit in the other categories.

1. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (orig. pub. 1940)

Group reads

I want to try and participate in more of the group reads, CATs, KITs, etc. this year and will record my success here.

American Authors Challenge
January - Carson McCullers - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (orig. pub. 1940)
February - Henry James - The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (orig. 1898)
March - Richard Ford
April - Louise Erdrich
May - Sinclair Lewis
June - Wallace Stegner
July - Ursula K. Le Guin
August - Larry McMurtry
September - Flannery O' Connor
October - Ray Bradbury
November - Barbara Kingsolver
December - E.L. Doctorow

Science Fiction/Fantasy CAT
January -- Other Pasts -- Steampunk, Gas Lamp and other historical SFFF - Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (2010)
February -- The Classics -- SFFF Written before 1980 -- Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott (orig. 1884)
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1972)
March -- It's the End of the World As We Know It
April -- Fair Tales and Mighty Myths
May -- Girl Power -- SFFF Written By Women or featuring a strong female main character
June -- Does Anybody Know What Time It Is? -- Time Travel & Alternative History
July -- Critters and Creatures -- Non-Humans from Aliens to Dragons
August -- Other Worlds
September -- Slightly Out of Wack -- Slipstream and Interstitial (This includes Magic Realism and Genre Benders)
October -- What Was That? -- Supernatural, Paranormal and the Just Plain Inexplicable (Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy and Gothic)
November -- Off on a Quest -- Heros, Superheroes, Puzzles and Epic Journeys
December -- Under the Influence

History CAT
January: BC to 1 -- Myths & Legends - Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden (2003)
February: 1 to 500 -- Religion Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell (1959)
March: 500 to 1000 -- Exploration & Conquest
April: 1000 to 1300 -- Crime & Mysteries
May: 1300 to 1500 -- Plagues & Disasters
June: 1500 to 1600-- Culture & the Arts
July: 1600 to 1700 -- Immigration & Migration
August: 1700 to 1800 -- Medicine & Disease
September: 1800 to 1850 -- Lifestyles of Ordinary People
October: 1850 to 1900 -- Science & Technology
November: 1900 to 1945 -- War & Peace
December: 1945 to 1990 -- Civil Rights & Equality

Biographies
First Quarter - Call the Midwife
Second Quarter - Thomas Becket
Third Quarter - The Black Count
Fourth Quarter - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Google images just makes this kind of job way too easy!
I have an idea in mind for next year but thought I should grab some real estate while it was still available. Something with a water view, not too far from the library and close to a nice French bistro, if you please. Quiet neighbors with well behaved children and cats that stay in their own yard are greatly appreciated.

Haha, this thread cracks me up! Will be interested to see what you replace all those construction pictures with!

LOL I love it. Can't wait to see what replaces them later! xD

Great images! I'll be sorry to see them go.

>19 MissWatson: Hmmm...

20> Ooooo, are you hinting that they might not be going? Like post 11 might be for new books and 12 for animals? Nice touch in 14 of having them showing 15 on their fingers.

*starred*

Looking forward to the final unveiling!

I had originally thought of a theme based on the songs on an album I had listened to so many times I had the words memorized - Bridge Over Troubled Waters by Simon and Garfunkel. However, there were too many songs about the breakup of the duo and not much in the way of variety so I gave up on that idea. I only have, what, three months to decide on a theme? If nothing better comes up I may stick with these.

>21 BookLizard: I had not noticed that the fingers might indicate 1 and 5. I had thought they indicated "1 minute" and "stop" or "hi!" I went to the website they came from but no explanation was given.

>22 DeltaQueen50: So am I! ;-)

Haha, very cute!!

Well! Inspiration struck yesterday and I was able to come up with a theme with enough categories to cover pretty much all the variety of reading I do with one category to catch any that try to slip through the net. I slept on it over night and I am still pleased with the set up. I'm all set for next year! *fingers drumming in anticipation*

*riotous applause* LOVE IT!!!

Excellent theme (even if the interim one was funnier) - I very much approve!!! :)

Well, that is a very entertaining replacement. And great challenge categories!

>26 rabbitprincess: >27 -Eva-: >28 MissWatson: Thanks and welcome. It's so easy when there is great material to build with!

Very nice matching of themes with episodes. Looking forward to seeing what you read.

I know very little about Dr. Who, but I am a big David Tennant fan. Looks like you are all set for 2015!

My son told me that Matt Smith will be in the movie version of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. There is a scene at a ball where the partygoers are attacked by zombies that had me laughing. I can't wait to see it.

I love how you've built up your thread Mamzel! I can't wait to catch more book bullets from you.

Awesome theme!!

>33 luvamystery65: >34 crazy4reading: - Thanks, guys. I'm getting excited to start.

Thanks for stopping by my thread! I thought I'd return the favor and say, "Hiya!" :) I love the pics. I've never really watched Dr. Who, but I recognize some of the actors. Best of luck on your 2015 reads!

Good luck this year! I think I've watched one Tom Baker episode from the 70's, but David Tennant is always nice to look at. ;)

Alas, the most recent season just ended and I have to wait for the Christmas special. Good news - I have about 50 back episodes (mostly David Tennant) saved on the DVR for just such a lull!

>38 mamzel: I am SO EXCITED for the Christmas special! Permission to squee ;)

Edit to add: Speaking of Christmas specials, I think I might go watch The Next Doctor again (David Tennant's last Xmas special) :D

>39 rabbitprincess:
Me too! And Nick Frost as Santa, how great is that?!

Love the Doctor Who theme, Mamzel. Looking forward to seeing what you'll read for your categories.
I'm also looking forward to the Doctor Who Christmas Special. I'm hoping it will explain what was up with Clara all season. Despite my long standing love of Peter Capaldi this was my least favorite season of Doctor Who ever.

>41 VioletBramble: I spent most of this season trying to watch *around* Clara. I never liked her to begin with (going all the way back to Asylum of the Daleks), but this season her constant upstaging of the Doctor was especially irritating. I vote to bring back Jackson Lake in Season 9 :P

>42 rabbitprincess: I actually liked her in Asylum of the Daleks. She flirted with Rory. Rory's my favorite companion, so anyone who likes him is good with me. She was good in the Christmas special even. But once she became Clara, the companion, she was just sort of boring. The actress is fine and I have no problem with her. Clara had no personality last season. This season they gave her a personality and it was horrible. I think the writers may have committed character assassination. Unless she's not really Clara. Like how Amy was really Flesh Amy. I'm hoping the next companion has nothing extra special or impossible about them. I'm really tired of that. There's a theory floating around the internet about Oswin Oswald and Osgood being sisters that's intriguing.
I vote to bring back Captain Jack and River Song -- in the same episode.

great theme! But no weeping angels? Don't Blink!

>43 VioletBramble: I think what grated about her in Asylum of the Daleks was her extremely perky personality. As a professional grump I get really annoyed with characters who are always sunny and upbeat ;)

Osgood would have made a good companion! I liked her quiet nerdiness. The scarf! The bowtie! Hee hee!

I would LOVE to see Twelve's reaction to Capt Jack. :D

I love how everyone has a different favorite companion. I personally preferred Clara to Amy. The tear-in-time story line gave me a headache.

I have never planned out my reading in advance like so many of you here but I thought I would try a new system this year and maybe get some books off my TBR piles. My challenge starts this Saturday (first day of winter break) and this is what I have planned for January:

American Author - Carson McCullers -The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Kindle)
SFF Category - The Man in High Castle by Philip K. Dick (Kindle) - alternate history
History - The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden - BC-1

I will probably read (reread actually) Pride and Prejudice over break since I can enjoy it during long lazy mornings. Now I can't wait to get started!!

I've never planned out my reading ahead of time, either, but this year I am trying it. I have some planned for each month, leaving open spaces for those "oh, I have to read this now" moments.

>48 mysterymax: I so agree! I'm only looking ahead for the CATs as I am sure other shiny books will pique my interest along the way. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for those who lay out their reading for the whole year. And stick to it!

Since this is my first challenge, I may have overdone it in the planning department, but we shall see. I, too, have never had such a specific set of goals for an entire year! But almost all the books are already in my possession and at this point I am really looking forward. I have enough categories that I should be able to substitute any impulse reading that may come up.

Love your theme and setup, by the way!

>47 mamzel:
Great picture! :)

I'm getting excited by the trailer for the Christmas Doctor Who!

FIRST BOOK FOR NEW CHALLENGE!



The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (2010)

Arthur Conan Doyle curled his brow tightly and thought only of murder.

Oddly enough, this is the second book I've read this month that features two stories in alternating chapters. One takes place in Victorian London. Doyle has been dealing with the aftermath of "killing" Sherlock in The Final Problem. He receives a letter bomb that goes off after he finds a scrap of newspaper talking about the murder of a young woman. He takes it upon himself to solve this murder with the help of his close friend, Bram Stoker. The second part of this book is about Harold White, a member of an elite Sherlockian club. Another member, Alex Cale, has made a stunning announcement about a missing volume of Doyle's diary. He was due to speak to the club that night but he was found strangled in his hotel room. White decides to investigate what happened to the diary and the victim with his Watson, an attractive reporter named Sarah Lindsay.

This was a really fun book with all of the Sherlock references and facts about the life of Conan Doyle. I highly recommend this book to all Sherlock fans.

CATEGORY: THE ULTIMATE FOE (ROOTS)

How funny - that was my first book in the 2011 challenge - loved it!

Hello fellow who Fan! Looking forward to what you read!

>54 LittleTaiko: It probably was on my shelf since then. I got it because lots of people liked it and I am fond of Sherlock stuff.

>55 BBGirl55: 9 days until the Christmas special!!!

# 56 getting alittle light headed, will start bouncing about in a couple of days. I hope it is good.

Congrats on your first book! I am intrigued enough to add it to my wish list. Not sure I'll fit it in during 2015 but it sounds like something I would like. Is this what y'all mean by a "book bullet"?

Oh yes it is! And not even Jan 1.

I've had The Sherlockian in the TBR for some time. I need to get to it!

Just stopping by to say "Hi!", it look like you have a lot of good reading planned for 2015.

>58 Poquette: Indeed it is. Welcome to the group!

>59 dudes22: Sorry about that. I had to pick something random to fill in until the CATs officially begin.

>60 majkia: That's what happened to me. I had it buried in a pile and rediscovered it.

>61 inge87: Thanks! I'm looking forward to another good year!

>59 dudes22: >62 mamzel: Yay! My first official BB! I guess I'd better start a log.

The Doctor Who theme is SOOOO MUCH FUN! I love how you organized categories by each Doctor.

> 53
I've been into reading Sherlock stories as of late. When I get through some more of them I'll have to think about picking this one up.

>63 Poquette: If it gets serious, you might want to start a spread sheet. There are many books I end up reading after reading about them in posts but by the time I get to them I forget who was the first to pique my interest so I can give them credit.

8 DAYS TO DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!



Locke & Key, Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2012)
Locke & Key, Vol. 5: Clockworks by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2012)
Locke & Key, Vol. 6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2014)

I read the first three of this series and mention them in the 2014 Challenge but decided I would count all of them as one book when I completed the series.

This graphic novel series is finite in length (yay!), only 6 volumes. I am not a dedicated graphic novel aficionado so I prefer series like this that don't go on for ever and ever. It is the story of three kids who move with their alcoholic mother to their father's ancestral home, Keyhouse. Bode, the youngest, begins to find keys laying around that perform fantastic stunts. For example, the first allows Bode's spirit to leave his body and float around unobserved. There is also a key that opens people's heads and allows memories to be removed or replaced. There is an evil spirit that wants to get its hands on the Omega key which opens a door deep in submerged caves under the house and allows demons to enter our world. Ty, the oldest sibling, is a large and large-hearted boy who is very protective of his friends and family. Volume 6 is very suspenseful as events come to a head.

I was drawn to this series by its colorful illustrations full of varying POVs and frame arrangements to keep things interesting (and an amateur reader like me on my toes). I would recommend this to mature teens who are used to violence and evil from other sources.



CATEGORY: THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN (FANTASY)

>65 mamzel:

Glad you enjoyed Locke & Key. I loved it.
And I also am like you, I like that it's a finite series. I think having the story be finite with a clear end allows the author to put together a stronger more cohesive storyline compared to series that get lost in trying to keep the story going and going.

Just throwing this out there - my opinion about the movie, The Interview, and Sony's decision to shelf the movie. On one hand I wish they had not caved into these terrorists but on the other hand I respect the decision of the theaters to swallow their own profits to maintain the safety of their patrons. While the chances of an actual attack on a theater are slim to none, IMO, the threat of other attention-seeking idiots is much more real and the theaters made a good decision. Does anyone know if Kim was actually assassinated in the movie? I haven't heard if he was or not but would expect that since this is a satire, the interviewers would bungle the job and he would survive. If that's the case, the Guardians of Peace need to grow a sense of humor. Have they not seen how we portray our own leaders? Lincoln as a vampire killer springs to mind, Teddy Roosevelt coming alive in a museum, and lets not even start on how Nixon and George W. have been portrayed on TV! With what little I know about the country of North Korea, it seems they have no humor and no joy in their lives and can't stand to have others laugh at their expense.

I think it's the right decision to not show the movie in theaters, but it seems strange that they would never release the movie at all. Why not a VOD or streaming service?

>63 Poquette: & >65 mamzel: - what I did for my BBs was start my own collection here called "Recommended LT" where I stash them and put in the comments field who and where the BB was from so I can go back and look at it later when I'm looking for a book to read. I even put books that look interesting from the Early Reviewers. Last year I used it to decide which books to get for my Thingaversary.

>69 dudes22: That works!

>69 dudes22: >70 mamzel: That's an interesting approach. I have started a list near the top of my thread with title, author and recommender. In Club Read where I have been hanging out in the past I have posted a monthly wish list in the same format with a backup Word document. It's nice to have and it's a useful resource. Since book bullets are hilighted in this group, I'll keep the list directly on my thread.

I started keeping a wish list because I was amazed at how many books caught my eye from reading other people's threads and I needed a way to keep track of them.

The Green Man by Michael Bedard (2012)

In the middle of the night the phone rang, wrenching O from a dead sleep.

I received this book from the Early Reviewers program. It is just released in the U.S. but was published in Canada in 2012.

Let me open by saying that I have never appreciated poetry but one of the main things I liked about this book was the passion exhibited for the writing of poetry. Ophelia, who prefers to be called O, is the daughter of a man who has spent many years working on a book about Ezra Pound and the niece of a poet, Emily, who owns a used book store. O's father sends her to stay with his sister for a summer while he goes to Italy to work on his book. The extra benefit of this is that O could help her aunt who had just suffered a heart attack. Mysterious occurrences involve a magician with a wicked weird show who may be returning while O is with her aunt. There is another mysterious person, a young man, apparently homeless, who pops in and out of the picture.

While this story has lots of promise, I found that it missed on giving a complete picture of what was going on, and I don't mean purposely leaving stuff to the reader's imagination. To begin with, the town seems to be relatively small since O and Emily walk to most places yet O manages to find herself getting lost several times. There is no explanation of the origin of the evil magician guy, just that he insinuates himself into a birthday party and kicks all the adults out of the room (they meekly obey) and then he performs his weird act. Why he waits until O shows up to return? Who knows? Where has he been in the meantime? What happened to the kids at the party?

Considering that the page count for this book is a respectable 320 pages, I found it rather thin in substance. I don't think I'll read this author again. Sorry, Canada.

CATEGORY: THE UNEARTLY CHILD (YA LIT)



Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris, narrated by David Sedaris, Dylan Baker, Elaine Stritch, Sian Phillips (2010)

The cat had a party to attend, and went to the baboon to get herself groomed.

I found this audiobook at a FOL book sale. I figured it would be an easy thing to listen to in the car. For the most part it was light with sarcastic episodes described by different animals but mirroring very human situations. They were cute, sarcastic, and some were tragically disturbing. It's a quick thing to get through - the book has only 185 pages and the audio was only 3 hours long.

The most disturbing story was about a bear who couldn't see how small her own problems were and a cute one was about some storks (!) discussing how to tell a young stork where babies come from.

CATEGORY: LISTEN (AUDIOBOOKS)

>72 mamzel: The Green Man is a sequel to another book. I forget the title of the first book but Bedard wrote it 20 years before this one. That's probably why this book seems to be missing some information.

I checked around the pages of the book and the book's LT page and there is no indication of a series. In any case, I had no problem with the back stories of the characters. It was the plot that was muddled.

Oh, I don't think it's a series. Just two books set in the same world with a magic show that comes to town every few decades.

ETA: The name of the first book is A Darker Magic

Happy Winter Solstice!

Oh, that's beautiful! :) Happy Winter Solstice to you, too!

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers (orig. pub. 1940)

In the town there were two mutes, and they were always together.

Well, this book was certainly outside of my comfort zone but, to give the author credit, I could not put it down once I started it. It felt so oppressively hot, smelly, poor, hopeless, and, yet, bright, warm, glowing, and hopeful. A small town in Georgia is home to our characters which include a 13-year old girl, Mick, a café owner, Biff, a deaf-mute, a drunk Communist, Jake
Mr. Singer, a black doctor, Dr. Copeland, and his daughter, Portia. Their lives could not be more different even though they occupy the same space.

The story takes place over a period of one year and the growth and chance experienced by our characters is monumental. And in the background of their lives is the growing threat of events in Europe. I found the passion of Jake and Dr. Copeland to be particularly inspiring. They were frustrated, however, by the apathy and self-concern of those around them. Jake pontificates to no end on the plight of the common man and quotes Marx and Spinoza. The good doctor had dreams for his children and drills them their entire life on how they could make their place in society while maintaining their dignity. The contrast between him and his children can be seen in the language they use. He speaks grammatically correct English while Portia and the others didn't. In the midst of all this talk is the dear/mute, Mr. Singer. In the beginning he has a friend, Mr. Antonapoulos, who works in the bakery and isn't the nicest person. Even though Mr. Singer speaks with him using ASL, he refuses to communicate. Mr. Singer never waivers in his devotion to Mr. Antonapoulos. Jake, Dr. Copeland, Biff, and Mick all spend lots of time talking to Mr. Singer, pouring out their dreams, complaints, and philosophies while he sits quietly reading their lips, always with a gentle smile encouraging them.

The town gives the story a setting that influences all of the characters. Home to some industry, there is employment but the people still struggle to make ends meet and live in run down crowded homes. The only movement we see is a downward spiral.

This is the kind of book that makes me glad I'm an LT member since I probably would not have picked it up except for the American Authors challenge. I've picked it up many times in my library, looked it over and replaced it on the shelf since it sounded too depressing. And to think McCullers was only 22 when she wrote this!!

CATEGORY: GROUP READS (AMERICAN AUTHORS)

glitter-graphics.com"

79> Wow. That's awesome.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with wonderful books!

Great book tree!
>78 mamzel: I'm hoping to get to that one in 2015 in my American Authors category. Thanks for the review.
Merry Christmas!

Looks like a fun thread mamzel! I haven't really gotten into Doctor Who yet, but maybe some day. I remember Peter Davisson from The Lathe of Heaven which was shown on PBS many years back. Since I'm looking for some graphic novel ideas, Locke and Key sounds like a good one for me.

Merry Christmas, mamzel!

Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoy the Christmas special :D

Merry Christmas!!!

>78 mamzel:
Great review. I read this year's ago and don't remember much, but your review reminds me that I enjoyed it quite a bit at the time.

Christmas Eve at my friends' house, they were watching a Dr. Who Christmas marathon. I can finally see the appeal of the series.

Great theme! It is kind of fun to gauge a viewers involvement with the Doctor Who series based on who happens to be playing the Doctor. My Doctor Who days were courtesy of one of my older brothers so my memories of Doctor Who are represented by Tom Baker and Peter Davison. I haven't seen any of the newer shows.

>53 mamzel: & >54 LittleTaiko: - LOL, that book was my second book in the 2011 challenge and I gave it the same rating you have, mamzel!

I see you have a nice start to your challenge!

This is the third time I'm trying to get this posted. Hopefully it's a charm. The first time I closed without saving and this morning I accidentally closed the tab. Argghh!

>80 BookLizard: Thanks for your good wishes! I love those book trees!

>81 mstrust: I keep forgetting to try and build one in my library. Oh, well. There's always next year!

>82 LisaMorr: Locke & Key may be a little intense for a GN beginner. I like to recommend The Arrival as a stunning example of the genre. I first 'read' this standing up (there are no words used to tell the story), in the book store. Another fun one (if you can find it) is called Britten and Brulightly.

>83 DeltaQueen50: Thanks so much!

>84 rabbitprincess: I did! I loved the cameo appearance of Santa.

>85 andreablythe: Thanks. That book really got under my skin.

>86 BookLizard: I bet you caught some of the David Tennant shows!

>87 lkernagh: If you think you might want to give them another go, try the tenth Doctor.
It was a good book. Kinda surprised it wasn't on the 1001 book list.

My recent reading has been a little flighty and the first two are short reads. I did not count the first since it was too short.



The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley (2014)

This was a Kindle short featuring our favorite girl chemist, Flavia de Luce. Intrigued by a note requesting her help, Flavia jumps on Gladys and goes to a nearby boy's school where a hall master is dead in a tub, copper plated. Using her scientific knowledge and sleuthing talent she manages to figure out what happened before the police even arrive. A good story but we really don't get a lot of the Flavia flavor in it.



A Rare Benedictine: The Advent of Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters (1990)

This short (190 pages) book is actually three connected stories starting with a tale of how Cadfael came to give up his adventurous life and join the Benedictine monastery. Recently Amazon offered several of this series as special daily deals and I couldn't resist. The couple of books I've already read and the TV adaptations with the wonderful Sir Derek Jacobi made me want to pursue reading the entire series. I'll have to fill in the series with books borrowed from my county's library where possible or break down and buy them from Amazon.

CATEGORY: MYSTERIES



Roman Dusk: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (2008)

This was a book that had been languishing on my TBR pile for a few years. It features a vampire who was 2500 years old in 2nd century Rome. He is quite a different vampire as he is quite a gentle soul, generous and compassionate with his slaves and taking care of a dying woman and giving a break to her daughter for free, etc. And his method of feeding is VERY satisfying to the victim (nudge, nudge). A bureaucrat targets him since he is a foreigner and tries to bilk him for more and more fees. The teen-aged son of the sick woman is a recent Christian convert and takes part in efforts to teach others the wrongs of how they live. Rome is ruled by a young nut case named Heliogabalus (Elagabalus) who provides his city with the most outrageous games and days of wine induced celebrations that leave the populace exhausted.

The setting and description of Ancient Rome is fully realized and the many Latin terms are explained in the helpful glossary. One thing that was disturbing was the name used for the under-floor heating used in homes. The author used the word holocaust but a Google search came up with hypocaust. The scenes of the games and the dinners were quite extraordinary. Readers may be warned of some rather graphic sexual content and some might feel offense by the less-than-savory portrayal of acts by the new Christians.

This series is not written in chronologic order and I think that it can easily be read in any order. This particular book was the second chronologically and 24th published. There doesn't seem to be much back story that makes one feel they missed out by not reading the previous stories. I may definitely try to find more of these (31 all together).

CATEGORY: ROOTs

clicking on Post Message NOW

Thanks mamzel - I'll add those to my list. I'm not totally new to GN, just looking for some new titles! I've read Sandman, The Fables, Maus, Persepolis, V for Vendetta, Exit Wounds, Palestine, The Watchmen.
I found your review of Roman Dusk interesting as I have a few Chelsea Quinn Yarbro books on my shelf - the first three that were written. I may have to dip into them - they would fit a number of my categories. Thanks for the ideas!

Good review of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I needed an LT group read to get through it! Glad I did though. I thought Mr. Singer was the heart and soul of the book, and how ironic since he could communicate only poorly with all the other characters and was too polite to turn anyone away.

>89 LisaMorr: I had not heard of her before I read this one and I think I will definitely be on the look out for more, especially those set in time periods that interest me.

>90 cammykitty: I will be interested to read comments in the AAC thread when they start.

To all my fellow LTers, may 2015 bring you days of joy, good health, and great books!


glitter-graphics.com

Happy New Year!

Love the Who challenge!

Happy New Year!

>92 mstrust: and >93 The_Hibernator: Thanks so much!!

Ooo! Doctor Who themed, I like it. Ninth and Tenth Doctors are my favourites. Although, I'm still watching the 11th. Very clever with the category names. Good luck.

Wow, brilliant theme idea! I really like your setup and look forward to following the outcome. :)

Wishing you a happy new year, it looks like you're getting off to a great start!

Happy weekend mamzel!

>95 bookwormjules: and >96 Chrischi_HH: Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad the Doctor makes you happy.

>97 inge87: Amazing how not having to go to work adds to my reading time! All that ends on Monday and I'll move back to a more sedate pace.

>98 The_Hibernator: My partner in crime has been visiting family for the past three weeks and is back. We're going out to lunch today to catch each other up. Tomorrow I'll dedicate to laundry to be ready for work again on Monday.

Happy New Year Mamzel!

I thought The Heart is Lonely Hunter was both sad and beautiful. Imagine she was only 23 when she wrote that book.

I LOVE the Cadfael mysteries! I'll do a reread in a few years.

>100 luvamystery65: I was very impressed that such a young person could probe such depths of a variety of personalities. I just got an audio version of Monk's Hood from my library.



Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden (2003)
The Emperor Series, Volume 1

The track in the woods was a wide causeway to the two boys strolling down it. Both were so dirty with thick, black mud as to be almost unrecognizable as human.

This novel gives us an idea of the early life of two of history's most interesting people: Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus. Gaius (Julius) was the son of a wealthy landowner who adopted Marcus, an orphan. The two boys grew up together and shared education and military training. The father hired a retired gladiator, Renius, to train them in the use of swords. Unfortunately the father is killed in a slave revolt and Gaius is taken in by his mother's brother, Marius. Marius is a general in charge of an army of soldiers known as First Bloods. Marcus heads east with Renius to join an army unit in Greece. They don't reunite in this book, however, they both make great strides with their own careers and reputations.

I think I may have read this a little too soon after Roman Dusk and consequently it suffered a little in comparison. There were so many violent battle scenes with blood and gore galore. It got to be a bit much for me. Still, in all, it was another great way to immerse myself in the lifestyle of Ancient Rome.

CATEGORY: GROUP READS

I have Gates of Rome on my bookshelf too and have been thinking of reading it this month so it's good to read your review. I know what you mean about reading a book too soon after another similar one. I find that sometimes the timing of a read can alter my opinion of it.

>102 Roro8: The upside of reading two books about Ancient Rome is that I actually found myself trying to remember stuff from my two years of Latin learned eons ago!

I've been looking at Iggulden's series about Genghis Khan for a while, but perhaps I'll give this one a try instead. One can never have to many chunksters waiting on Mt. TBR...! :)

>104 -Eva-: I'm partway (2 of 5) through the Conqueror series and quite liking it so far. Hoping to get back to it sometime this year.

>104 -Eva-: >105 AHS-Wolfy: Ooo! Genghis Khan! Sounds interesting!



Sandman by R. Robert Janes (2012)
St.-Cyr and Kohler Mysteries #8

When the snow landed on the girl's face it did not melt even under lights so strong they made her eyes glisten - lights that disturbed the doves which cooed and fluttered until one wanted to shriek. Shut up! Stay still. As still as she.

It took me a long time to read this book since it was my middle-of-the-night, Kindle book so I only read a couple of pages at a time. Even though it is a relatively short book it seemed to drag.

The premise certainly is intriguing. Two police officers, one a Parisian from the Surete and one a German, team up to solve crimes in Occupied Paris. They are on the trail of a serial killer known as the Sandman and the search has become very frantic because one young girl has been murdered and another is missing. The missing girl seems to be hiding because she may know the identity of the murderer and may be his/her next target. The two girls had swapped coats which seems to suggest that the Sandman may have killed the wrong girl. In the dead girl's coat pocket is a number of items which St.-Cyr and Kohler use to try and retrace the girls' steps and figure out where the (hopefully still) living girl is hiding. The story takes place during January and Paris is a cold place full of hungry people, a bleak crime taking place in a bleak place.

The problem I had with this book was how the POV jumped from one character to another and I had trouble, at times, figuring out if the comment was actually spoken by the character or just thought. The action took place in just a day so our detectives raced around with little to eat, no sleep, and without sufficient clothing to keep warm.

I don't remember how this book came on my Kindle, maybe as part of a bundle, since I doubt I would order a book so deep into a series. I may read another of the series if it falls in my lap (or on my Kindle) but I won't seek one out.

CATEGORY: MYSTERIES

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café by Alexander McCall Smith (2014)

Precious Ramotswe, creator and owner of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, friend of those who needed help with the problems in their lives, and wife of that great gariste Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, felt that there were, broadly speaking, two sorts of days.

This story begins with a long meditation of busy days vs. quiet days and I briefly had a fear that this series had "jumped the shark." Once things started rolling, however, I again felt that warm hug that these stories give me.

Followers of Mma Ramotswe know that there is never a deep, dark mystery to solve. More often it is a simple case of bringing the right people together to solve a problem. In this book there are a couple of problems that arise. Her partner, Mma Makutsi, is bravely opening a new restaurant and is naively trusting her sense of people to bring it to fruition. Problems ensue. A brother and sister bring a woman to the office seeking their help in identifying her since she suffers from a case of total amnesia and they need to figure out who she is before she is deported. The third problem to face this proud and compassionate woman, is that her husband has to let go one of his apprentices because his garage business has been slow. Charlie is a young and handsome man who is a little less than devoted to his work. Loss of this job will be financially devastating to him and his family. What can be done to keep him from going under?

While there is never a mystery for the reader to navigate, there is always a gentle and warm way that Mma Ramotswe seeks the truth and then finds a way to resolve the problems. Her circle of friends, as always, figure into the solution and we are again treated to the hospitable culture of Botswana.

CATEGORY: NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR

>107 mamzel: These are similar to his Isabelle Dalhousie "mysteries." Rarely a true mystery. More like a problem to solve and philosophical musings. Usually nice and cozy all in all.

I tried one of those but didn't appreciate it as much. I think the setting in Africa makes it for me.

I love that 'mad man with a box'!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

Hmmm, the coziness of #1 has put me off for years, but sounds like I should just get over it and give one a try, but I do like my mysteries to at least have a crime or something missing.

>110 bruce_krafft: Welcome! Thanks for stopping in!

>111 cammykitty: There is always a little mystery to solve and problems to overcome, but there is rarely any violence, no technology what so ever, and lots of love and a sense of community I don't often find in other mystery series.

Greetings, mamzel!

It looks as though your reading has gotten off to a great start this year - and your Dr. Who theme is a hoot!

I hadn't thought about Chelsea Quinn Yarbro in years - I used to know someone who was a big fan. Thanks for the reminder!

>113 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks! I had never heard of the series before now. I don't think I was even aware it was part of a series when I got it. Serendipity.



Lost Horizon by James Hilton (1933)

Cigars had burned low, and we were beginning to sample the disillusionment that usually afflicts old school friends who have met again as men and found themselves with less in common than they had believed they had.

I should have waited to read this book next month and it would have counted as a historic fantasy for the SSSF Cat. I don't think I have ever read it before, though I was very familiar with the story of Shangri-La, the lost valley hidden in the Himalayas of Tibet.

Four people escaping violence in Afghanistan (how familiar is that these days?) by plane are hijacked and taken instead to a remote and unexplored part of Tibet. The plane crash lands and the pilot dies. They are met by an English-speaking monk carried in a chair and are escorted into a sheltered green valley.

Each of them takes their new situation in a very different way. Conway, the British Consul, has long deep conversations with Chang and learns about how a life of meditation and peace may greatly extend one's life. Mallinson, the Vice Consul wants nothing more than to get back and has no patience for any talk other than when the next caravan is due. Miss Brinklow sees this as an opportunity to spread the word of her church and proceeds to learn to speak Tibetan. Lastly, an American, Barnard, is a typical American and sees this as a financial opportunity.

The story is told by a neurologist who heard it from Conway who was sick in a remote Chinese hospital. He wrote the story down and gave it to an author who happened to know Conway from school.

It was a pretty short book but its influence is still felt.

CATEGORY: FANTASY

Bad, Mamzel, Bad, Bad, Bad!
(added 6 new books to Kindle)
Just like my never ending goal to lose weight, my never ending goal to read more books than I buy is such a lost cause!

Don't beat yourself up too badly. It's almost impossible to resist the lure of new books. Think of all the great book reviews you can tempt us with!

Haha! New books are always great. And your kindle is not going to weigh any more because of this. :)

Happy weekend Mamzel!

>116 DeltaQueen50: I came across this line in Pride and Prejudice just this morning:
"And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into."
I think the TBR problem has existed for as long as there have been books!

>117 The_Hibernator: And won't crowd my bookshelf any worse! That's a good thing and a bad thing about the Kindle. I need that visual reminder that I already own lots of books and don't need to obtain any more.

>118 mamzel: That is fantastic! I guess a reader will always have his books and his compulsion to buy more.

>119 DeltaQueen50: I smiled when I read this thinking about everyone's piles, mountains, etc.



Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (2010)
Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins #1

"You there! Come here!"
Sherlock Holmes turned to see who was being called and who was doing the calling.

When I looked at the titles that others were reading for the SSSF CAT, I was afraid that I had either read them already or didn't really want to read. Then in the intro to the cat I read the magic word about a Sherlockian story and I had it.

This is a well researched story about the possible beginning of the legendary character, Sherlock Holmes. For this author, he begins one summer during the holidays, when he is sent to stay with his straight-laced aunt and uncle. He is assigned a tutor (an American named Amyus Crowe) who has a daughter who loves to ride horses. From them he learns how to use his intellect to figure out problems and ride horses.

He meets a young man who lives on a boat and becomes his "Watson." Together they investigate a couple of mysterious deaths that alarmingly resemble plague and are accompanied by the sight of a strange cloud and traces of a yellow powder.

The villain is a survivor of the Charge of the Light Brigade who was left paralyzed and extremely resentful of the British military. He has devised a contraption that is operated by black-clad servants who help him move like a marionette.

According to the author this was well researched and stayed as true to the time as possible but there were a couple of slips that I caught. One was the use of the modern phrase 'hanging out' and I wonder if they used the another one, 'Prepare to meet your Maker!" Another minor jarring note was the fact that the American and his daughter come from Albuquerque and Virginia was named "after the state" (huh?).

CATEGORY: GROUP READS - SSSF CAT

>120 mamzel:
Hmmm. If I was teenager still I'd jump on that in a heart beat. The book, not just the pretty boy on the cover. It sound good, but I think I can safely dodge Death Cloud.

More Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data, edited by Nicole C. Engard (2015)

Whenever I give a talk about mashups, I like to start with a picture of s'mores. It's the most delicious type of mashup.

I received this book from the Early Reviewers Program. I had requested this one since I had learned so much from another book by this publisher called The Cybrarian's Web. This book, however, was a bit higher level.

It is a collection of articles written by (mainly) media specialist in libraries in Europe who combined the capabilities of different applications to meet a specific need. These libraries were large public and university libraries so I did not see any use for their applications. There was one, from a community college in Washington state that I could imagine using and I think that with the support of my tech savvy son, might be able to utilize. It involves accessing the cover pictures of books from Open Library, downloading them to a Google spreadsheet, then using a little Java script (given in the book) to create a resource list on a WordPress web page.

Obviously, more than a little knowledge is necessary to use this. But if I can create this, a lot of people would be able to as well.

Each author explains what the need was, what applications were used, what problems might be met (attention was given to the privacy of the patrons), and a link to their final product was given so the reader could see the result.

CATEGORY: NONFICTION

122> Have you ever tried Oreo s'mores? You use Oreos instead of graham crackers. Just don't get the double-stuffed Oreos - way too sweet.

I wish I had the time to read a book like that, let alone actually DO anything it suggests. Could you list a couple of the web pages they gave?

The address for the mashup I think I might try to duplicate is:
http://library.whatcom.ctc.edu/guide/home/history

It's just those book cover pictures but it employs Google spreadsheets, Open Library, and WordPress as well as the school's OPAC.

Another thing they talk about is a free online service called IFTTT (IF This Then That) which helps a person link information between a number of different media sources. The example they give is using information from a weather channel of a possible condition and sending out a warning via Twitter of possible library closures and advising patrons to call ahead to see if they are open or not.

The editor has a website with links to the various mashups here.

Thanks for sharing. Good luck with your webpage.

>122 mamzel: I used to follow Nicole's blog.

>126 thornton37814: It's cool to see a woman's name on a publication like this.

My daughter called me from the bookstore yesterday to ask for a recommendation. She wanted to buy a book for her friend. After thinking for a minute I told her to get Station Eleven thinking about all the love for it in this group. I think she will enjoy it.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (orig. 1795)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

This is one of the most recognized opening lines of books and leads into the story of a family with five daughters and no male heirs to inherit the house they presently occupy. The English system of entailment would mean that upon Mr. Bennet's death, Mrs. Bennet and any remaining unmarried daughters would be left out in the cold. Mrs. Bennet is on a quest to find financially sound husbands to support her daughters, and someday, she herself would be in need of shelter.

Austen's original title was to be First Impressions and that refers to how, repeatedly, characters based their impression on others by the first words they hear about another. Mr. Darcy is held to be aloof and self-absorbed, Mr. Wickham is utterly charming, and Mr. Collins must be a Christian sort since he did fall into the position of parson with a parsonage attached to the estate of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. How different they all turned out to be. And the misconceptions go against them to as the esteemed Lady Catherine feels that Elizabeth is too base for her nephew to possibly marry.

Everyone knows the story so I will just add a couple of observations:
I was surprised to realize that Mary, the middle of the five girls, had very little exposure in the book as she was constantly reading. I thought it strange that Mr. Bennet, who greatly preferred the quiet and privacy of his library to any place else, did not appreciate her as much as he liked Elizabeth.

It rubbed my plebian sensibilities that it appears that not a single person in this book actually works. The only one who seems to at least attempt to earn a living (as unsuccessful as he is) is Mr. Wickham. All the other money in the book is inherited so people seem to do nothing more than take walks and have balls.

I love, love, love the language:

"Oh, my dear, dear aunt," she rapturously cried, "what delight! what felicity! You give me fresh life and vigour. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are young men to rocks and mountains? Oh! what hours of transport we shall spend! And when we do return, it shall not be like other travelers, without being able to give one accurate idea of anything. We will know where we have gone - we will recollect what we have seen. Lakes, mountains, and rivers shall not be jumbled together in our imaginations; nor when we attempt to describe and particular scene, will be begin quarreling about its relative situation. Let our first effusions be less insupportable than those of the generality of travelers."

translation - "Oh, my dear aunt! I would love to go on a trip with you!"

CATEGORY: NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR

Yay! I love to see P&P love. It's a book that I've reread a few times. The language and wit is better every time I read it.

I thought for my next book I would try and tackle Cryptonomicon and opened the trade paperback I had bought at a used book store. Well, I rethought that real quick, opened my Kindle and ordered the ebook. Weighing in at over 1,000 pages there's no way I will be comfortable with the printed version.

Oh, my! That would have been quite the arm workout.

My major concern, actually, would be my thumbs. It hurts to hold things. Picking up thin objects causes stabbing pain sometimes. I've nicknamed it Librarian Thumb Syndrome.

Ahhh! Ouch! That doesn't sound fun.

>130 mamzel: - LOL! E-book to the rescue!

Audiobooks can also helps with LTS. The one I just requested is 35 hours.

>133 andreablythe: I've had to be conscious about how I grab books off the shelf now and holding a knife can cause pain sometimes. Oh, well! Another wonderful part of the aging process.

>134 lkernagh: And to think I originally resisted getting an ebook!

>135 BookLizard: I listen to them in my car (when holding a book would be even more problematic). I'm just finishing a Brother Cadfael mystery at the present. When I borrow one from the library I have to keep them short because I can't always renew them. I've had to return two that I didn't finish because of that.

Boy, oh boy, am I getting cranky. As I walked into school this morning I saw a sign reminding students about the upcoming exit exams. As encouragement they used the phrase, "You got this!" That really rankled me. I couldn't help but point out to the principal that a colloquial phrase like that might be fine for a sporting event but it might be better to use something more grammatically correct for academic one.

136> That's so annoying. At least it's not "You done got this!"

>137 BookLizard: Or the even more charming, "Get 'er done!"

Snicker. Seriously, though - a principle in NJ lost her job because a maintenance person put 'Dicimber' on a sign instead of December and it went uncorrected for several days. It wasn't at an entrance that the staff normally used, but the furor over the sing once a photo hit social media resulted in her being reassigned.

Maybe I'm just too sensitive. I was filling in the page to register my daughter for a Kiwanis fun run and came across a mention that the proceeds were used "for high school senior's scholarships" like there's only one high school senior.

140> You just want everything, don't you? ;-)

At least they knew it was possessive.

I'm convinced the only reason our library has a Communications department that has to approve all our flyers is so that no one accidentally calls it the "Pubic Library."

>141 BookLizard: *snort*
I was so paranoid about making that typo at work that I set an autocorrect in Word!

142> Good idea.

I wish my mouth came with autocorrect - or at least a 5 second time delay.

>143 BookLizard: Something that would be helpful for more people than just you! I'd buy one.

>141 BookLizard: I'm always happy to lend my services when someone asks me to proofread. My husband knows I'm faster at spelling than he is trying to find it online. I know I'm not perfect and probably let things slip in my own messages. For some reason, I had a hard time remembering to put the r on the end of "your".

>142 rabbitprincess: If only the autocorrect on my phone behaved. Even when I go back to fix what it mangles, it still tries to correct me. I've even tried using quotation marks and it makes unnecessary corrections.

>143 BookLizard: I wouldn't mind instant recall once in a while. "No, you didn't just hear me say that!"

>144 mysterymax: Costco should sell them wholesale. ;-)



Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters (orig. 1980, audio 2010), narrated by Johanne Ward

On this particular morning at the beginning of December, in the year 1138, Brother Cadfael came to chapter in tranquility of mind, prepared to be tolerant even towards the dull, pedestrian reading of Brother Francis, and long-winded haverings of Brother Benedict the sacristan.

This series is always enjoyable as Brother Cadfael's personality is serene and intelligent, comfortable in his role as a Benedictine monk after an adventurous life as a soldier in the Crusades and ship's captain. He is content now to grow his herbs, create potions and lotions to ease the discomforts of the brothers and neighbors, and solve the occasional murder that happens.

In this case, the abbey is host to the family of one Gervaise Bonel who is in the process of turning over his lands to the abbey in exchange for room and board for the rest of his and his wife's lives. Cadfael is surprised to learn that he knew the wife long ago and that he is looking at what may have become of him if things had been different. Bonel is murdered by poison, however, and it is a poison that Cadfael himself concocted as an external salve to ease sore joints utilizing a derivative of the plant known as Monk's Hood.

I thoroughly enjoyed the BBC production of these mysteries starring the wonderful Sir Derek Jacoby as Cadfael. It is my intention to work my way through them, as many in audio form as I can find.

CATEGORY: MYSTERIES

>143 BookLizard:
"I wish my mouth came with autocorrect - or at least a 5 second time delay."
Ha! Being of the sarcastic persuasion, I would love to have that feature as well. :)

I really like Cadfael in any version.

January Wrap Up

Numbers are high because I started in the middle of December and there were three weeks of staying-late-in-bed-reading days.

1. YA and children lit - 1
The Green Man by Michael Bedard (2012)
(an Early Reviewer book)
2. Fantasy - 2
Locke & Key 6-volume series by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2012-2014) - graphic novel
Lost Horizon by James Hilton (1933) (Kindle)
3. Scifi
4. Technolit
5. Nonfiction - 1
More Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data, edited by Nicole C. Engard (2015) (an Early Reviewer book)
6. ROOTs - 2
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (2010)
Roman Dusk: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (2008) (Kindle)
7. Tomes
8. Mystery - 3
A Rare Benedictine by Ellis Peters (1990) (Kindle)
Sandman by R. Robert Janes (2012) (Kindle)
Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters (orig. 1980, audio 2010), narrated by Johanne Ward (Kindle)
9. Non-American authors - 1
The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café by Alexander McCall Smith (2014)
10. 1001 Books -1
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (orig. 1795) (Kindle)
11. Cross-genre
12. Audiobooks - 1
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris, narrated by David Sedaris, Dylan Baker, Elaine Stritch, Sian Phillips (2010)
13. Miscellaneous
14. Group reads and CATs - 3
American Author CAT - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (orig. pub. 1940)
Sci Fic & Fant CAT - Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (2010)
History CAT - Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden (2003)

My favorite (no surprise) is Pride and Prejudice with the latest Precious Ramotswe book and the Carson McCuller close behind. I am on track (so far) with keeping up with the CATs and look forward to continuing with them. I'm not one of those who normally can line up their books to read in advance but rather let the books talk to me and tell me which one wants to be read next. I am also rather pleased that the books were kind of spread across the spectrum. Out of 14 categories I read in all but 4. I'm possibly removing the Science Fiction category since what I read could fall into either the Group Reads, Technolit, or YA categories, or Miscellaneous if all else fails.

I'm in the middle of three books:
Flatland for the SSSF CAT
206 Bones - audio in my car
The King's Sword - on my Kindle

Excellent recap! Also, three weeks of staying-late-in-bed-reading days sounds like heaven!

>147 hailelib: I always here Sir Derek Jacoby in my head even if a woman is narrating.

>149 rabbitprincess: It was.

I just read that the last Stieg Larson book is set to be published in August. I would give you a link to the Guardian article but it is being blocked (apparently for using the word tattoo). The title will be That Which Does Not Kill.

And Harper Lee is publishing a new book!!!
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/harper-lee-published-july-28687808

>152 mamzel: Cool! Thanks for the link. :)

>153 saraslibrary: I'm rather confused at the lack of wonder at this great discovery, here on LT. I would have thought there would be more whoops of joy.



Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott (orig. 1884)

I call our world Flatland, not because we call it so, but to make its nature clearer to you, my happy readers, who are privileged to live in Space.

This was a (blessedly) short book narrated by Square, a two-dimensional being in a two-dimensional world. Most of it describes how life is carried out since Square now knows that there are in actuality more dimensions and is trying to teach us about his world. The book is, above all, a satire of the class system of England at the time. Women were at the bottom, no more than a line. The lower ranks of men, soldiers and craftsmen, are isosceles triangles with the higher ranking closer to equilateral. Above them, the hierarchy is reflected by the number of sides with the king having so many sides that he is practically a circle.

At the turn of their millennium (the last day of 1999) a Stranger appears to our square and slowly and gently introduces him to life with three dimensions. Of course, when square tries to pass on this knowledge to his fellow Flatlanders, he is subsequently arrested and thrown in prison for his pains.

I'll share an example of the explanations of Flatland life:

In some of the States there is an additional Law forbidding Females, under penalty of death, from walking or standing in any public place without moving their backs constantly from right to left so as to indicate their presence to those behind them; other oblige a Woman, when travelling, to be followed by one of her sons, or servants, or by her husband; others confine Women altogether to their houses except during the religious festivals. But it has been found by the wisest of our Circles or Statesmen that the multiplication of restrictions on Females tends not only to the debilitation and diminution of the race, but also to the increase of domestic murders to such an extent that a State loses more than it gains by a too prohibitive Code.

Dare I say, shades of Islamic states?

There are diagrams to help visualize the geometric descriptions. Even though the premise is intriguing, I found it hard to get myself to pick it up and finish it although I am certainly glad now that I have.

CATEGORY: GROUP READS (SSSF CAT)

>154 mamzel: People are strange like that. ;) But yeah, on a book site, you'd think there would be more interest. Even on our staff site at work (we're a library), there was little talk of it. Bizarre. Also, maybe the huge year gap between the first book and the sequel was too long, so people are kind of meh. I think once it's out, people'll start talking, reviewing, etc. :)

Holy smokes, our library ordered a copy of the new Harper Lee today and there are already 38 holds on it! I imagine it will rack up many more in the days to come.

>156 rabbitprincess: I think you're right! :) We have 59 holds on the regular book and 25 on large print. It's always best to go with large print; you get your hold a lot quicker! Plus your eyes thank you. ;)

I'm excited! Going to go check out my library and put a hold if I can figure out how.

I enjoyed your review of Flatland. It brought back good memories, as I'd discovered it in an old university library when I was a teenager, at a time when I was starting to develop an interest in math (which led to a career in that field eventually).

Good call, getting Cryptonomicon as an e-book. I did the same with Anathem, which I hope to fit into the SFFFCAT sometime this year.

154> I'm number 7 on the wait list. Whoop! Whoop!

>154 mamzel: - maybe people are too stunned to talk about it. There is a thread under Book Talk that LT shared on facebook earlier today. It's not very active though. I'll be lining up to buy the book ASAP after publication.

>155 saraslibrary: After reading a different article I wondered if maybe people think it could be a hoax (if it's too good to be true it probably isn't). I'd rather remain optimistic.

>156 rabbitprincess: I think I might wait and order it from our local bookstore. That way I can get the library discount and then put it in the library after I've read it. I might even get the buzz I felt when a new Harry Potter was expected.

>157 saraslibrary: I'm fortunate in that my myopia doesn't affect reading so much. Threading a needle, however, much.

>158 dudes22: Oh, to be young and discover library holds for the first time! Be careful, they may lead to ILLs next!

>159 mathgirl40: I had known about the book but forgot about it until my lunch buddy found it. (A kid that the word "quirky" was invented for) I've since recommended a book by Richard Feynman to him. I think the science and playfulness of the man will appeal to him.

>160 BookLizard: You won't have long to wait at all, especially if they order several copies. Congrats!

>161 VioletBramble: I haven't seen any chatter about the Stieg Larson book, either. There was a lot of talk when everyone was reading the series a couple of years ago but now that the fourth book will finally make an appearance, nothing!

>161 VioletBramble: >162 mamzel:
I initially got very excited about the "Stieg Larsson" book as well, until I found out that Stieg Larsson had nothing to do with it. If it had been a ms worked off of the draft for the 4th book, then yes. But this has nothing to do with Larsson's vision for the series. It's completely new material and as such, really doesn't rate more than fan-fic to me, no matter Lagercrantz's writing cred, or that Larsson's father & brother approved it (And TBH, the idea that they would get even one krona off of this makes me sick.)

As for the Lee Harper's new release, I'm on the fence. At the time she wrote it, and for all these many years, she did not feel that it was good enough for publication. Her "presence of mind" is also being questioned , especially in light of the perhaps authorized/perhaps unauthorized biography of hers that was published a couple of years ago. I want to be excited, but at the same time, TKAM is such a perfect novel by itself, I'm wary of being disappointed by the extra material; and it feels vaguely exploitative in a way I can't quite articulate.

Finally, some rain!
They're forecasting a ton for tonight and continuing tomorrow. My theory is all the news trucks waiting for floods to show will prevent them from happening. They've been cruising around since yesterday!

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (2014)

Tana woke lying in a bathtub. Her legs were drawn up, her cheek pressed against the cold metal of the faucet.

Oh, for pity's sake! Haven't we had enough of dumb teens making the worst decisions landing them in horrible situations???

Tana suffered trauma when she was young. Her mother had been bitten by a vampire and came down with the condition known as the Cold. To try and keep her from drinking human blood and becoming a full vampire, Tana's father locked her up in the basement until she could overcome the toxins in her blood. Tana's Bad Decision #1 was going down to the basement.

Fast forward to her teenage years, the story opened to Tana coming to in a bathtub after a riotous party. She wandered around the house and discovered the carnage that was a vampire buffet she had missed by her lucky overindulgence. She found her ex-boyfriend still alive, chained up to a bed (for a later vampire snack) and accompanied by a heavily chained teen vampire (actually quite old, of course), complete with tousled black hair (which no one could possibly resist). She freed both of them and decided they needed to go to Coldtown (another BD). Coldtown was the name for a number of locations where vampires and vampire groupies are walled in. They check in but they don't check out.

For over 400 pages, we get a series of BDs and gorefests. Tana, herself, wonders how she can never keep an outfit free of gore and blood. It's Sookie Stackhouse for teens (without the sex, of course). I read this book because it had received a lot of positive buzz and we had it in our own Overdrive collection. For the life of me I don't think I can recommend it to a teen even though some might totally eat it up.

CATEGORY: YA AND CHILDREN LIT

I know the Black book has seen some love here on LT but it doesn't appeal to me so I appreciate your review.

Oh dear, I succumbed to the warbling about The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and now I have a feeling that it's not going to be my cup of tea at all!

>166 lkernagh: I'm afraid I'm becoming a bit of a curmudgeon but I feel that a YA book which opens with a girl passed out from overdrinking is not good literature - that's sensationalism, nothing more.

>167 DeltaQueen50: It had been a while since I've dipped into the vampire pool - not since the True Blood series ended and I was hopeful. It had also been a number of years since a read a book by Black, before I started LT apparently. I don't remember being impressed by her Weezie Bat books.

After a totally dry January, we finally had some precipitation. It rained heavily on Friday and last night we had actual downpours with gusty wind - bad for stressed trees. Back to warm,
weed-growing days.

168> Weetzie Bat was Francesa Lia Block, not Black, but I have to agree with you either way. Apparently (from my LT library), I really liked Pretty Dead from Block, but I just didn't get what the fuss was about with Weetzie Bat.

Coldest Girl in Coldtown was a "meh" read for me, too. It got great reviews though. I can see why the opening passed out scene wouldn't fly in a school library (is it high school?), but what bothered me was how unrealistic it felt. The whole "we're going to tie a human to the bed so the other vampire will eat him seemed SO contrived.

I think any book that gets reluctant readers to read is good, but at 400+ pages, this isn't one of them.

We have plenty of precipitation over here on the East Coast - about 5 feet of it. You're welcome to as much as you want. :-}

>169 BookLizard: "a" not "o" - doh! Contrived seems to be a good word for the whole book.
It is a high school library. The good news (if you can call it that) is that we have it in our Overdrive collection which hasn't caught on yet so I doubt anyone will find it.

I'm sure the ski resorts in the Sierras are jealous!

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (orig. 1898)

I remember the whole beginning as a succession of flights and drops, a little see-saw of the right throbs and the wrong.

I'll remember this book as ridiculously long sentences, over-dramatic utterances, and horror that isn't. Sorry, Henry. You're not a writer for me.

I can't really imagine there is any reason for introducing a story by one person reading a journal to his friends for any other reason than to increase the word count. Especially since there is no return to the original audience at the end of the story. It just...ends.

A young woman takes a job as a governess to two orphans dumped on their uncle who could care less about them. She sees two apparitions that might be a caretaker and a previous governess who suffered mysterious deaths. Do the kids see them too, or are they pulling her leg? Why doesn't the housekeeper see them?

I found myself glazing over pages without absorbing anything. I wanted to be able to appreciate this author but could not. The sentences, oh, the sentences.

Peter Quint was found, by a labourer going to early work, stone dead on the road from the village: a catastrophe explained -- superficially at least -- by a visible wound to his head; such a wound as might have been produced (and as, on the final evidence, had been) by a fatal slip, in the dark and after leaving the public-house, on the steepish icy slope, a wrong path altogether, at the bottom of which he lay.

Commas, semi-colons, colons, long hyphens, and parentheses! Oh my!

CATEGORY - GROUP READ - AAC

I found myself glazing over pages without absorbing anything.

Not a good sign. I wonder if the story would work better as an audiobook... because, otherwise, I have not desire to tackle that one.

Wonderful review!

>165 mamzel: Thank you for your review of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. As you said, there HAS been a lot of buzz about it, but I found something about it off putting. Now I can pass on it without a qualm!

>171 mamzel: - Had a similar reaction when reading that book last year, lots of words for a rather short book. The governess completely lacked in common sense and the ending was intriguing but not overall not enough for me to actually like the book enough to recommend it.

I think I enjoyed The Turn of the Screw a little better than you, but I totally agree with how strange it was that the story opened with a fellow reading the governess' journal to a group of people and then the story never returned to those people!

Thanks Heavens I am not the only one who could never quite get into THE TURN OF THE SCREW.

>172 lkernagh: High praise coming from you! Thanks!

>173 Dejah_Thoris: I almost feel like the kid who pointed out the emperor had no clothes on!

>174 LittleTaiko: Having tried to write a book for the NaNoWriMo project, it seemed that some of the parts were just word count boosters.

>175 DeltaQueen50: Do you think maybe he was fed up with it himself and just cut it off at the end? That's almost how it felt to me.

>176 IrishHolger: One of things I like about LT is that people don't feel they have to love every book even if it is popular with a lot of others.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) part of ALA is again hosting a challenge to read 25 books off of their "Best of..." and award winning lists. I've learned to avoid reading books that would probably end up here to save them for the challenge. I will put the books I read for this in a subcategory for my YA books. Just have to finish the one I'm reading now. If anyone is interested in participating or what books have made the list, the link is here.

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, a lot of people I follow didn't like it much. It's too bad, because I enjoy Black's work in general.

Henry James sounds like a tough read. Think I'll hold off on that one.

>177 mamzel: I wondered if his audience got bored and left. ;)

>178 andreablythe: I'm sorry (?) to remove two books from your to-read list. ;-)
>179 DeltaQueen50: LOL!

177> Good luck with the YALSA challenge. I took a look at the list, but there's not many on the list I'm interested in reading.

Interesting selections on the YALSA list. I've got a hold on the Celeste Ng book, which I heard about through the Tournament of Books. Nice to see they've got some good sci-fi like The Martian there too.

I counted up and found I have 22 of them in my work library or on my Kindle. I'll have to borrow some from the public library, especially the audiobooks and graphic novels. I have already read five and according to the "rules" of the challenge I can't count them. (Not that I want to read Catching Fire or The Fault in Our Stars again anyway!)

The King's Sword by C.J. Brightley (2012)

I crossed his tracks not far outside of Stonehaven, and I followed them out of curiosity, nothing more. They were uneven, as if he were stumbling.

Kemen was retired from the service of the king and was at rather loose ends. He comes across the prince, Hakan, who had escaped assassination, luckier than his father. He could have just left him but he took the young man under his wing and kept him safe as he gave him skills to survive and learn how to use a sword. Along the way they found others still loyal to the king and eager to help the prince retain his throne.

This is the first of a series of books that I would call horse-and-sword adventure. There is no fantasy even though there is a unique world. No unique creatures or magic. It's unfair to compare it to Prince of Fools but the story is basically the same without the humor or the fantasy. I doubt I'll follow any more of their adventures.

CATEGORY: ROOT

>184 mamzel:, it's a shame that it's not good enough for you to want to follow on with it. Lucky there are plenty more good books out there for us to enjoy :-)

I've discovered that, while there is a chance of finding pearls in the mix, these bundles of books frequently offer lesser known parts of series. I'm sure there is the idea that the purchaser will want to continue with the series. I'm just a sucker for a good deal and they frequently are good deals.

I've been enjoying some of the early Saturday Night Live programs leading up to the 40th year celebration tonight. I can't believe it has survived so long, with so many talented people getting their launch. Nothing can compare to the original cast, though, IMO.

I'm loving this 40 year celebration! Not a huge Will Ferrell fan, but his Alex Trebek sketches are some of my favorite bits.

Loved your review of P&P - it's one of my all-time favorites...though I'm partial to Sense and Sensibility, which I just bought as an audiobook today. This will be my first foray into Austen on audio.

188> Ditto.

Enjoyed SNL 40 tonight. I didn't even recognize Bradley Cooper.

>188 LittleTaiko: I was in college when SNL started and then work took me far from the television for a lot of years. I don't think I've watched much since the Eddie Murphy years. I completely missed the Tina Fey years. I enjoyed the series and was amazed at how gray and large some of the cast members and hosts have become. I think I only recognized Dan Akroyd by his voice.

>189 The_Hibernator: I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I will try to keep up with all the Austen reads this year but I think P & P will always remain my favorite.

>190 BookLizard: A lot of the guests were hardly recognizable, weren't they. Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift??? Come on, people. I was actually pretty impressed by Kanye's performance, however. Was that Beyoncé in that wig?



Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell (1959)

Lucanus was never sure whether he liked or disliked his father. He was only certain that he pitied him.

This is the story of the chronicler of the life of Jesus, Luke. Caldwell apparently studied the man for a good part of her life before fictionalizing his life. At the end of the book is a decent looking bibliography. I did find one anachronism, however, when it is mentioned the captain of a ship used a sextant which wasn't invented for another 1700 years. I did not doubt her depiction of life at the time, otherwise. For those more than familiar than me in the Bible, was Jesus described as blond and blue-eyed and was Mary dressed in blue robes? I know that is how I have seen them but I always thought that may have been because of a European influence.

Lucanus is described as an impossibly perfect human, blond and handsome, athletic, and a gifted physician. Even though he was raised and patronized by wealthy and educated people he devoted much of his life to tending the most poor and ill people. After meeting a sick-at-heart man from Judea he discovers his true destiny; to talk to as many people who met or knew Jesus and record their stories. His ultimate goal was to talk to his mother, Mary.

Over all, this was a magnificent story taking place in the world of Roman dominance at the very birth of Christianity.

CATEGORY: DOORSTOPS
HISTOY CAT - YEARS 0 - 500 AND RELIGION

Bookriot has a fun article listing the methods Harper (the publisher) will be marketing Harper (the author)'s new book. Read it here.

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner (2009)

Right now, as you read this prologue, I am sifting through the contents of your computer. Yes, your computer. You. The one holding the book.

This was an exciting techno-thriller for teens. The enemy is the big bad Internet, a modern day Big Brother. Our hero, Sam Wilson, uses his hacking ability to obtain a newly released toy, a headset that allows the user to control his computer with his mind. He is savvy enough to realize that his foray into the background is not unnoticed. When he and his friends obtain the gadgets, a whole new world opens up.

The major concern is that information doesn't only go one way and that memories and commands can be inserted into the user's brain without consent. Sam sees first hand that people can be fatally overwhelmed by this feature, like an electronic device that has been struck by lightning.

I highly recommend this for technologically savvy teens. The jargon and action will be right up their alley.

CATEGORY: YA FICTION

Brain Jack sounds really fun. Love the idea of cyberpunk for teens.

>194 andreablythe: Cory Doctorow is another good cyberpunk author. I always like to recommend him to my patrons.



The Terrorist's Son by Zak Ebrahim (2014)

My mother shakes me awake in my bed: "There's been an accident," she says.

Zak's father is the man who murdered the leader of the Jewish Defense League in 1990 and organized the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center from his prison cell. His story was one where a loving father and great family man changed gradually because of a combination of circumstances that brought him in contact with extremists. This story shows how a normal, happy person can be overtaken by hate and violence and how other men can choose otherwise to take a more peaceful road through life.

This very short book is very moving. The only problem I had with it was that it was written in present tense.

CATEGORY: HUB CHALLENGE (ALEX AWARD - ADULT BOOK THAT APPEALS TO TEEN AUDIENCE)

I've been meaning to read Cory Doctorow's work for a while, since I read his blog. I have book on my shelf, but I think it's a mixed collection of essays and stories.

>196 andreablythe: Little Brother was really good. You can even download it from his website for free.



This or That? (touchstone not working) by Crispin Boyer (2014)

Decision, decisions. Every hour of every day is full of decisions. Many are minor, but most add up to reveal your personality - and determine your destiny. This or That? Which will it be?

Neon bright colors.
All different fonts and font sizes.
Text at angles.
Pictures, pictures, pictures.

This book is for browsers, not readers. You are given two options, this or that. Keep track of which one you choose more often because at the end of each chapter a psychologist gives his analysis of what kind of person you are based on your preferences. An example would be whether you would prefer to witness the world's greatest light show in the sky (auroras) or create your own light show in the sea (bioluminescence).

Pretty book but not much depth.

CATEGORY: NON-FICTION

So . . . what is your personality?

>198 BookLizard: I actually only kept track in one chapter which was to figure out what I should be when I grow up. My choices made me a "high functioning human being" - "detail-oriented person who is also able to use the creative part of your noodle to solve problems." The down side is that my personal life may be messy. So true!

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1972)

Arthur C. Clarke has a way to teach us science in such a way that feels elegant and never, ever condescending. You know how when you read a book you have a mental smile or frown going on while your reading that may or may not be appearing on your face? My mind and face was almost constantly in a jaw-dropped expression. I was blown away by the probability of such an apparatus appearing in our space. All contingencies seemed to be filled in advance by a highly advanced species as a huge (50 km long) tube enters our solar system. Spinning around its lengthwise axis and approaching the sun at a terrific speed, theories fly as to its origin and goal. A small group of explorers is able to chase it down, link with it, and begin to explore its cavernous, dark, cold interior. However, as they get nearer to the sun and heat carries from the surface to the interior, changes begin to happen and it seems it is waking.

It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a science fiction adventure as much as this. I intended to jump right into the sequel since the final line of the book promised more. However, the reviews for Rama II seem to be diametrically opposite in quality. What a shame.

CATEGORY: NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR
SSSF CHALLENGE: CLASSIC SCIFI

This has been quite a scifi month for me. After finishing Rama, I started The Martian (a book that is very, very hard to put down) and today on TCM they are showing 2001 and 2010!

Nice review of Rendezvous with Rama. I'd read this book years ago and would like to reread it again at some time. I did read the 3 sequels as well but I remember very little about them, except that there were some cool alien creatures. I suspect that Clarke's coauthor did most of the writing for these books.

Yay, The Martian! That was a good one :D

Rendezvous with Rama almost sounds like a kaiju in space novel. I'm glad to hear it was a hit. It's on my list of possibilities for Nebulae/Hugo winners, so I'll have to bump it up the list and read it this year. :D

I read Rendezvous with Rama many years ago, but never the sequels, so no advice there. The Martian is great!

The Martian by Andy Weir (2014)

I'm pretty much f***ed.
That's my considered opinion.
F***ed.

A manned mission to Mars gets off on the wrong foot. Almost as soon as they land they are hit with a severe dust storm. The module threatens to tip over so the decision is made to leave. Unfortunately, Mark Watney was speared with a piece of a flying antenna and they can't find him. Figuring him for dead they leave.

All of the mission members had two fields of expertise and Mark's were botany and engineering. Lucky for him since he was able to assess his situation and take steps to ensure his survival until supplies or rescue.

The author of the book is a scientist and wrote this book as a hobby. The science and math are accessible to most lay people and (IMHO) are the true stars of this book. I will definitely be purchasing this for my high school library and recommend it for every high school. I think they may be getting tired of hearing me rave about it here.

Worth all of the hype and kudos to the author!

CATEGORY: YA LITERATURE (HUB CHALLENGE)
ADULT BOOK WITH SPECIAL APPEAL TO TEENS

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about The Martian. You're review is bumping it further up my list.

>206 mamzel: This was my top read of last month!

>206 mamzel:, I'm planning on reading that one for the March randomCAT. It's good to see another excellent review for it.

>207 andreablythe: I hope you'll enjoy it when you get to it!

>208 luvamystery65: Definitely my top read so far this year!

>209 Roro8: Good reviews are certainly everywhere for this one. Enjoy!



The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (orig. 1892)

I had started this quite a while ago and was looking through my Kindle to see if I could find something I could read fast. I only had two stories left to finish this book so I can mark another TBR as done. Yay!

What can be said about this character that hasn't already been said. This week I talked to some classes about parallel novels and how stories are retold with a different point of view, etc. As I was wrapping up I started to talk about one character that had been put in movies and TV series and modernized. In my library we have no less than 5 series based on young SH, SH's sister, SH in America, SH's protégé, etc. I did not have to introduce him since they knew just who I was talking about. I'm a little miffed that a beautiful collection I had found at an FOL sale was borrowed two years ago and never returned.

I think I'll download The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and take another two years to read it.

CATEGORY: NON-AMERICAN AUTHOR

I think that's probably all I'll get done this month so I'll share my February wrap-up.

1. YA and children lit - 5
2. Fantasy - 2
3. empty
4. Technolit
5. Nonfiction - 2
6. ROOTs - 3
7. Tomes
8. Mystery - 3
9. Non-American authors - 4
10. 1001 Books
11. Cross-genre
12. Audiobooks - 1
13. Miscellaneous
14. Group reads and CATs - 5

Total books read to date: 25

American Author Challenge - The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

History Challenge - Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell

Science Fiction/Fantasy Challenge - Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

Favorite read - The Martian by Andy Weir

I'm taking this convenient break to open Part 2. Please follow here. (Unfortunately I did not use the continue feature. It's been a while since I made a continuation.)

You never read the original Sherlock Holmes stories? Wow, I wish I was in your shoes to be able to explore them again for the first time.

Another happy The Martian reader, I see. ;-

199> That sounds like me except for the "high functioning human being" part.