mathgirl40's 2015 Category Challenge -- Part 1

Here are my categories for 2015:

1. Canadian Awards
2. International Awards
3. SF Awards
4. Classics and 1001 books
5. Dust Collectors
6. Plays
7. Short Stories
8. Non-fiction
9. Historical fiction
10. Nordic mysteries
11. Other mysteries
12. Fantasy doorstoppers
13. Space Opera
14. Classic SF
15. Horror

In 2014, I finished with days to spare, so I'm going to make it easier for myself in 2015 by requiring a minimum of 5 in each category.




I'll be tracking again the books off my shelves:

Category 1: Canadian Awards



This category will include nominees for and winners of various Canadian literary awards, including the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list, the Giller Prize and Canada Reads.

1. Ru by Kim Thúy (Feb. 10)
2. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill (Feb. 12)
3. The Lobster Kings by Alex Zentner (Mar. 13)

Category 2: International Awards



This category will include nominees for and winners of international literary awards, including the Tournament of Books and the Man Booker Prize.

1. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (Jan. 17)
2. Silence Once Begun by Jesse Ball (Jan. 19)
3. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (Jan. 25)
4. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Jan. 28)
5. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (Mar. 7)
6. Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill (Mar. 10)
7. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (Mar. 29)
8. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (Apr. 3)

Category 3: Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards



This category will include nominees for and winners of SFF awards such as the Hugo and Nebula awards.

1. All Clear by Connie Willis (Jan. 11)
2. The Martian by Andy Weir (Feb. 5)
3. Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (Apr. 25)
4. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (May 22)
5. Mindscan by Robert Sawyer (June 3)

Category 4: Classics and books from the 1001 list



1. The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt (Jan. 31)
2. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (Feb. 27)
3. At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft (Feb. 22)
4. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (May 25)

Category 5: Dust Collectors



1. The Chez Piggy Cookbook by Rose Richardson (Mar. 11)
2. Lovesick by Alex Wellen (Mar. 25)
3. Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olsen (Apr. 7)
4. The Once and Future King by T. H. White (May 3)

Category 6: Plays



1. The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles (Jan. 26)

Category 7: Short Stories


Artwork by Tom Gauld for The Guardian

1. Winner Take Nothing by Ernest Hemingway (Jan. 15)
2. Great Classic Hauntings (Mar. 3)
3. Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi (Mar. 31)
4. Campus Chills (Apr. 10)

Category 8: Non-fiction



1. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai (Jan. 6)
2. The Urban Picnic by John Burns and Elisabeth Caton (Feb. 3)
3. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (Mar. 27)
4. Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto (Apr. 16)
5. Between Gods: A Memoir by Alison Pick (May 13)
6. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond (May 31)

Category 9: Historical Fiction



1. Child Royal by D. K. Broster (Feb. 8)
2. Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson (Mar. 9)
3. The Yellow Poppy by D. K. Broster (Apr. 13)
4. The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby (Apr. 29)

Category 10: Nordic Mysteries



1. Before the Frost by Henning Mankell (Apr. 23)
2. The Locked Room by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (May 21)

Category 11: Other Mysteries



1. The Killings at Badger's Drift by Caroline Graham (Mar. 18)
2. The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh (May 15)

Category 12: Fantasy Doorstoppers



1. The Wise Man's Fears by Patrick Rothfuss (Apr. 11)

Category 13: Space Opera



1. Saga, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples (May 28)

Category 14: Classic Science Fiction



1. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick (Feb. 9)
2. The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (Feb. 18)
3. More than Human by Theodore Sturgeon (Mar. 23)

Category 15: Horror



1. Symbiont by Mira Grant (Feb. 11)
2. Horns by Joe Hill (Feb. 17)
3. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix (Mar. 16)
4. Morning Glories, Volume 1 by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Apr. 4)
5. Omens by Kelley Armstrong (May 4)

Other books that don't fit in the 15 categories:

1. Soulless by Gail Carriger (Jan. 21)
2. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey (Jan. 29)
3. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Apr. 19)
4. Susannah of the Yukon by Muriel Denison (May 7)
5. Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman (May 11)
6. Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley (May 26)

I'm reserving my spot for the 2015 challenge! However, I'm going to try very hard not to spend too much time here, as I'm trying to stay focused and finish my 2014 challenge. So I hope my LT friends will understand if I hold off on visiting all the new threads for a little while. I really, really want to, but I know that if I do, I'll never catch up on the 2014 threads. :)

However, I'll make an exception for the CAT planning threads ... just can't keep away from those!

Will be back to see how your categories come out.

I am trying to be patient about waiting for 2015 to arrive and the start of the challenge so I too will come back to see how your categories come out.

Looking forward to coming back to see how you put your categories together.

>18 mamzel: >19 DeltaQueen50: >20 -Eva-: Thanks for stopping by! I have been thinking about my categories ... but I keep changing my mind every week, so it's probably just as well if I don't commit to them until late December. :)

Found your new 2015 home!

I have been thinking about my categories ... but I keep changing my mind every week

I know I have been there myself. Looking forward to however you organize your 2015 reading!

>22 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I'm still trying to complete my 2014 reviews, but I will be moving over here soon, and I've almost settled on my 2015 categories. :)

Looking forward to following along this year. Tantalizing categories!

I have you starred so I can follow along. I'm particularly interested in all of your award categories. 2013 was an exceptional reading year for me, and I think a large part of it was due to the AwardCAT. It made me more conscious of awards I was only vaguely familiar with before.

Gotcha starred as well. Love your categories this year! All of those lists and nominees are so tempting.

Will definitely be interested to see what crops up in your awards-based categories!

>24 VivienneR: Thanks for stopping by!

>25 cbl_tn: >26 LauraBrook: >27 rabbitprincess: Nice to know that others are also interested in the various annual awards. I'm afraid that I get too caught up in all the current awards lists and for this reason, I can never make a good dent in my TBR pile. I keep hearing about new books I want to read!

I had a good plan for January, including working through some older books of my shelves, but now I'm getting totally distracted by the Tournament of Books.

I also need to catch up on all the other threads in this group, especially those from my favourite posters. :)

So far, I've finished only one book for January, and I'm working through two really big ones: All Clear and The Children's Book. However, I couldn't help starting Station Eleven, one of the TOB books, and this one looks like it'll be hard to put down.

1. I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb (4.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

My first book of 2015 is a very inspirational one, the story of Malala Yousafzai, winner of the Nobel prize. The writing is somewhat uneven but the story of how she fought for girls' rights to education and how she continues to do so even after the well-known assassination attempt is a very compelling story. It's difficult to tell at times which is her voice and which is that of her co-writer, journalist Christina Lamb. I suspect that much of the political and historical context was provided by the latter, but that part, to me, was as interesting as Malala's personal story and gave depth to the book. One thing that struck me was how much Malala's father and others like him, had done to promote education for girls in Pakistan. To me, they are equally deserving of the Nobel prize even if they are iconic figures like Malala is.

Glad your first read of the year was a good one.

>28 mathgirl40: - Darn you for tempting me even more with Station Eleven. It's sitting on a table calling out to me every day saying "Please pick me up and read me now." However, I've been stubbornly resisting until I finish a couple of other books first. I can feel my resolve slipping though...

Checking in on your thread to see what you have been reading. Glad you enjoyed your first book of the year.

>29 mathgirl40: A wonderful choice for your first book of the year! Glad you enjoyed it.

I'll be interested to see what you think of Station Eleven. I'd read an earlier book by Mandel and thought it was a bit of a plotless mess, but that there was something in the writing. I'm inching toward reading it myself as it is part of the Rooster.

>29 mathgirl40: I think I Am Malala is a book that will stick with me. It explains a lot about current affairs in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan. Malala's thirst for education is inspirational.

I'm resisting reading Station Eleven until I can fit it into the SSSF CAT, March maybe?

I really enjoyed I am Malala. I look forward to another book from her in about ten years time. It will be interesting to follow her path.

I will follow along and try to catch some book bullets from you. I love Nordic mysteries and thanks to you I am enjoying Space Opera. I'm especially going to keep an eye on your short story category. I just got back into short story collections the last couple of years. I used to love them way back when and then got away from reading them.

>30 AHS-Wolfy: >32 thornton37814: >33 VivienneR: Thanks for stopping by! Yes, I am glad I started the year on a good (reading) note.

>31 LittleTaiko: I saw your review of Station Eleven and was glad to see you didn't resist for too long. :)

>34 RidgewayGirl: I loved Station Eleven. Just finished it and I will post my thoughts soon.

>35 cbl_tn: I too found reading I am Malala useful in understanding the cultural and political context for some of the events happening in the Middle East today.

>36 mamzel: Station Eleven would be perfect for the March SFFCAT. I was going to save it until then but made the mistake of reading a sample ... and then I was hooked.

>37 luvamystery65: I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying space opera and I hope you'll be contributing lots to our space opera thread this year. I too have rediscovered short stories. Another collection I'd like to get to later this year is Margaret Atwood's Stone Mattress.

2. All Clear by Connie Willis (4 stars)
Category: SF Awards

All Clear is the second half of the story that starts with Blackout, which I’d read for December’s Connie Willis group read. The combined books won the Hugo Award in 2010. Neither is a standalone book (according to the author, they are really two parts of a single novel) and it’s impossible to review one on its own, so my comments refer to the two volumes together.

In my earlier review of Blackout, I complained about the repetitiveness of the plot. The characters seemed to be going around in circles trying to find one another. Plenty of interesting historical facts are conveyed to the reader during this process and there is development of the characters, but otherwise I found it frustrating that the plot moved along so slowly. The first half of All Clear seemed to me more of the same, but in the second half, everything came together, things started happening, and surprises were revealed. Those last 300 pages were terrific and everything I expected from Connie Willis, having loved her other Oxford time traveller books. I was tremendously impressed by the complexity of the story, once all the connections were revealed and I was deeply moved by some of the passages. One could argue that all the convolutions in the first 800 pages were necessary to truly appreciate the conclusion. That may be, but I can’t help thinking that a drastic editing would have made the whole reading experience even more enjoyable.

3. Winner Take Nothing by Ernest Hemingway (4 stars)
Category: Short Stories

When I was a teenager, I loved Hemingway’s novels and now I am starting to rediscover his work. Winner Take Nothing is a collection of his short stories and contains one of his best known ones, "A Clean Well-Lighted Place", as well as several of the Nick Adams stories. These are not happy or uplifting stories, as they deal with war, death, loneliness and other unpleasant subjects, but they are cleverly written and insightful.

4. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (5 stars)
Category: International Awards

I’m planning to read several books from the Tournament of Books shortlist, and this is the first.

This was a surprising book, in a very good way. First and foremost, it is a post-apocalyptic novel that avoids cliches and seems entirely plausible. This story of a travelling orchestra and theatre troupe trying to preserve the best of our culture after civilization collapses as a result of a deadly virus seems refreshingly different. Woven into the story are so many things that I love (and this might have influenced me in giving it a higher rating that it truly deserves): the city of Toronto, Shakespeare, orchestras, graphic novels, and even Star Trek. Mandel’s writing is skillful and she packs much to think about in a relatively short novel. This is among my favourite books of the past 12 months and one that I am sure I will want to reread again one day.

>40 mathgirl40: - Nice to see your review for Winner Take Nothing as it's one that I'm considering reading for my short stories category. I'll probably combine it with the Hemingway group read in September.

>41 mathgirl40: - Congrats on your first TOB read! Nice that it was such a good book too.

So many people are commenting favorably on Station Eleven that I've placed a hold on it at my local library. There are five ahead of me so no idea when I'll get it.

Oh, my goodness, Station Eleven was fantastic! And how wonderful was having the book end exactly where it did? I wanted to keep reading, but that was the place to end it.

It's a BB for me on Station Eleven.

I've taken a BB on Station Eleven too. I enjoyed Emily St. John Mandel's Last Night in Montreal.

Holy busy thread! Wish I'd have found it sooner, but here I am to follow now. :-)

...and I'll definitely have to watch that Canadian award category. I am especially interested in any Canada Reads books you read!

>42 LittleTaiko: I plan to participate in the Hemingway group read too, but I haven't decided on which book yet. Last year, I'd read A Moveable Feast and liked it very much.

>43 hailelib: It was a pretty quick read for me, actually quite hard to put down, so hopefully you won't have a long wait. I hope you enjoy it.

>44 RidgewayGirl: I've seen some people complain about the ending, but I thought it was perfect. I didn't have a feeling of wanting more, like I do with some novels.

>45 -Eva-: Well, I've gotten many BBs from you, so this is only fair game. :)

>46 VivienneR: I'm glad you liked Last Night in Montreal. I haven't read it yet but plan to at some point. I grew up in the suburbs of Montreal and always enjoy books set there.

>48 LibraryCin: Thanks for stopping by! I've already read Intolerable and The Inconvenient Indian, both of which I liked very much. I'm glad Intolerable got chosen because the author is not well-known like Thomas King, and I thought his memoirs were really worth reading. Next up for me from the Canada Reads list is Ru. Our book club at work chose it as our next selection, so I hope to get to it before too long.

5. Silence Once Begun by Jesse Ball (3.5 stars)
Category: International Awards

Silence Once Begun is difficult to describe. It's a creepy sort of mystery told by an unreliable narrator, mostly in the form of interviews, interspersed with lyrical reflections on truth, love and silence, as suggested by the title. The experimental form reminded me of Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, though this book is much shorter and also has less of an impact, in my opinion. I can't say that I loved this book. However, I'm glad I had read it and am happy that it got included in the 2015 Tournament of Books shortlist as I'm sure it will generate interesting discussion in the competition.

6. Soulless by Gail Carriger (3 stars)
Challenges: SFFFCAT

This book was a disappointment to me, mainly because I had false expectations. It had been chosen for our steampunk book club, so I was expecting a steampunk novel with a little bit of romance. Instead, it felt more like a romance novel with a little bit of steampunk. Once I caught on and started skimming certain scenes, I found the book more enjoyable. I did like the set-up of the vampire and werewolf societies, the variety of characters and the humour. I’m not so inclined to continue with the series; however, I’ve heard that the romance aspect is not so prominent in the sequels, so I may reconsider.

7. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (3.5 stars)
Category: International Awards

Annihilation is a psychological thriller set in a mysterious Area X. The narrator, a biologist, is sent in as part of a team to investigate and record the strange happenings there. Through her obviously unreliable account, we learn more about the denizens and history of Area X and how it drastically changes the people who venture in.

This is a creepy, suspenseful novel that I found hard to put down. I would have given this book a higher rating if it were not for the fact that it was ultimately unsatisfying. It is the first of a trilogy but reads more like the first third of a single novel. It establishes the setting and characters beautifully and raises a load of fascinating questions but doesn’t take us much farther than that. Fortunately, the rest of the trilogy will be published later this year so we won’t have to wait long to see how the story develops.

>51 mathgirl40: It's true, Soulless is very romance-y. But the later books don't have so much bodice-ripping, so you may enjoy them a bit more. If you do continue with the series, be aware that book #2 (Changeless) ends on a cliffhanger!

>49 mathgirl40: I actually hadn't heard of any of the books except The Inconvenient Indian. That's one that my f2f book club is planning to read later this year. (Though I'm wondering if we'll have to put it off, as with it being part of Canada Reads, library copies are going to be very hard to come by!)

I tried Blackout by Connie Willis a while ago and gave up on it for the very reasons your described in your review. It's good to know your investment of reading time paid off well and truly with the second book.

Good review of Annihilation. I agree with all of your comments.

>50 mathgirl40: - I'm about one third through Silence Once Begun and am having similar feelings as you. So far, I'm fascinated with the format, but not yet connecting to the story. It is one that I'm looking forward to the analysis of during the voting.

I rather liked Annihilation when I read it and will probably read Authority this year at some point.

>51 mathgirl40: - it felt more like a romance novel with a little bit of steampunk.

Yup. You nailed it in one sentence. I still find the books a fun bit of escapism but it is more tongue in cheek comedy with a bit of atmosphere.

>51 mathgirl40:
Yeah, they're very much escape-books, but I'm wouldn't read them as an example of steampunk. And, there is a lot of "pawing" in the following books as well - just a heads-up - even if the first installment is the one that's most heavy on that element.

>51 mathgirl40: and >59 lkernagh: I think that it's a good example of the gaslight sub-genre, fantasy elements + comedy of manners in Victoria Era? That being said, the series is great for a light and fun read. I was not thrilled either by the 'pawing' part, sadly it's still a part of the story in the next book ...

>53 christina_reads: >59 lkernagh: >60 -Eva-: >61 electrice: Based on all your comments, I may consider continuing with the series. As I said, I did enjoy the world that the author had set up. Now that I know what to expect, I can save the next books for the occasions when I want a really light and fun read.

>54 LibraryCin: Have you ever looked at the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list? The new list was just announced. I enjoy reading from this list every year, and often books on this list end up as part of Canada Reads. If you enjoy Canadian awards lists, this is a good one to check out, but it does not restrict itself to "literary" books.

>55 Roro8: Yes, I'd say that Blackout and All Clear are worth reading, despite their length, but they do require some patience. :)

>56 RidgewayGirl: >58 hailelib: Despite my complaints about the first book, I'm still eager to read the sequel when it comes up. I may even purchase the book instead of waiting for a library copy, though I'll probably be grumbling while doing so. :)

>57 LittleTaiko: I too am eager to hear the ToB analysis. I find that the discussion sometimes makes me rethink my views on a book. Often, the judges point out interesting aspects I missed on first reading.

>62 mathgirl40: Thanks for that suggestion (though I really don't need more to add to the tbr!!). :-) I've heard of the list/award, but never really looked at it. I like that it's not all literary.

>63 LibraryCin: I too like the fact that the OLA Evergreen nominees cover a broad range of books. The list usually includes some non-fiction and some genre fiction, in addition to the literary fiction that one generally expects with this sort of award.

8. The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles (4.5 stars)
Category: Plays
Challenges: HistoryCAT

These three classic plays have enduring appeal because of the themes they tackle, such as the conflict between personal rights and the good of the state. The most interesting theme to me, expressed particularly in Oedipus at Colonnus, is that of free will versus fate. Should Oedipus be punished for his crimes if he did them unwittingly, if the Gods had decided that would be his fate?

The edition I read had Antigone first, followed by Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonnus. Although Antigone had been written first, the story takes place after the other two. I also looked briefly at a couple of other editions and was reminded by how much impact the translator has, especially for verse.

A bit of trivia: I had to study Jean Anouilh’s version of Antigone in French class in high school decades ago, and I still find myself saying the French versions of all the names in my head as I read!

I am especially excited about this summer’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada, an event I attend every year, as they are putting on Oedipus Rex. Even better, Nigel Bennett, an actor I particularly like from The Murdoch Mysteries series, will be playing Tiresias. He’s also an author of several vampire books, which I’ve not yet read.

9. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (4.5 stars)
Category: International Awards

This book follows the lives of a German boy recruited by the Nazis and a blind French girl during the years of World War II. This is a beautifully written book that was a pleasure to read. The characters are portrayed wonderfully and I liked how the different plot lines converge in the end. I'm looking forward to seeing how the book will fare in the 2015 Tournament of Books. Even though I enjoyed the book greatly and it is very popular, it seemed somewhat conventional compared to Station Eleven.

10. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey (3.5 stars)
Category: Other

Even though this book is written by a mystery writer, it is not a typical mystery novel. Instead, Inspector Alan Grant, with the help of a researcher, applies his detecting skills to the question of whether Richard III had truly murdered his nephews. As fiction, the novel is not bad, but I found Tey’s arguments for Richard III’s innocence less than convincing, especially those based on physiognomy. She does make good points about the unreliability of sources, like school history textbooks, that we often accept without question.

>67 mathgirl40: Have you read other books by Tey? This is the only one I've read, and I think I also rated it 3.5 stars (or possibly 3).

>66 mathgirl40: I've been eyeing this book and the excellent response for a while. When the ALA lists came out yesterday and I saw it had won the category of adult book I immediately ordered it for my library. Now I'll be able to read it without waiting for weeks at the public library!

>68 LibraryCin: This is the first of Tey's books I've read, though I've got another, Miss Pym Disposes, on my shelf. I wouldn't mind trying one of the Alan Grant mysteries set in contemporary times.

>69 mamzel: There are definitely advantages to being a librarian! Nice to hear that the book is an ALA winner.

11. The Children’s Book by A. S. Byatt (5 stars)
Category: 1001/Classic

It took me a very long time to get around to reading this large daunting volume (and I really appreciate the push that the group read gave me), but I found it absorbing once I started. At times, there seemed to be an overabundance of detail but in the end, I couldn't imagine the author leaving anything out. Byatt succeeds at painting a wonderfully complete picture of the period from the end of the 19th century to the conclusion of World War I, covering the development of the arts, the suffragette movement, politics and changing social norms. At the same time, the various characters' stories completely drew me in, and even after 613 extremely dense pages, I didn't want to say goodbye to them. I will surely be doing a reread of this novel at some later time.

I was in Montreal visiting my parents at the end of December, and my daughter suggested we go to an exhibition at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts entitled, Van Gogh to Kadinsky, Impressionism to Expressionism, 1900-1915, about the rise of Expressionism in Germany and France. It was great timing to see this right before starting the book, as it gave me some valuable context.

Here's my January recap:

Books read: 11
Books from my shelf: 2
Challenges: SFFFCAT, HistoryCAT
Group Read: The Children’s Book

Favourite books: The Children’s Book and Station Eleven
Least favourite: Soulless (not bad, but not really to my taste)

I was highly distracted by the new Tournament of Books shortlist and ended up reading 4 books from it: Station Eleven, All the Light We Cannot See, Anniilation and Silence Once Begun. Consequently, I did not do so well with reading books off my shelf. I'll try to do better with that in February! Otherwise, it was an excellent January with 2 5-star reads: The Children's Book and Station Eleven.

>62 mathgirl40: I looked at the Evergreen list and took a BB with Forgiveness: A Gift from My Grandparents. It looks like it will be released in the US in March.

I agree with your choice of least favorite. For me, when I read Soulless, the series was fairly new and everyone was raving about it. I was expecting a lot more from it. Funny and entertaining, but kind of like diet soda.

The Children's Book sounds good, but that 600+ pages makes me remember that I love AS Byatt's novellas. I get impatient with her style, while at the same time I'm getting lost in it. All those details are so much a part of her style.

I ended up bailing on the group read of The Children's Book. I did attempt to read a couple of years back and made it through the first 20 pages before deciding I wasn't in the mood for it at the time. My current audiobook read, Brideshead Revisited is starting to remind me of The Children's Book so I may get around to reading my copy of the Byatt book after all.

Souless is one of those books that pokes fun at things like steampunk, Victorian manners and social customs. Fun but not something I would re-read. I seem to remember some groan-worthy moments while reading that one. ;-)

>71 mathgirl40:
I have to confess to some art exhibit-envy. Congrats on finishing The Children's Book as well - I'll conquer it some day. :)

>73 cbl_tn: Glad you found a BB in the list. Forgiveness: A Gift from My Grandparents does look interesting. A couple of years ago, the Evergreen list included Requiem by Frances Itani, also about Japanese Canadians during World World II and which I highly recommend.

>74 cammykitty: I do like Byatt's style, so I will definitely read more of her work, but I'll wait until I have the time to devote to it and really appreciate it.

>75 lkernagh: I've never read Brideshead Revisted but recall being intrigued by the advertisements for the mini-series when I was a teen. I would like to read it one day.

>76 -Eva-: I often have museum and art gallery envy when I visit the threads of other people in this group who talk about the places they've visited. I especially envy some of the Europeans, who live in centres surrounded by incredible art and architecture. Here in Canada, there are good museums in the large cities, but the large cities are pretty far apart from one another.

12. The Urban Picnic by John Burns and Elizabeth Caton (3.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction
Challenge: Cooking with KIT

I decided to try the Cooking with KIT challenge this month!

I was looking for ideas to make our family’s bag lunches more exciting. When I browsed the library’s shelves, most of the lunch-themed cookbooks had recipes that were geared toward kids, required reheating, or were messy to eat. Then I found this book which was perfect for my needs, even though it's not about lunches in particular.

The Urban Picnic is all about dining al fresco in a city setting. There's a fairly lengthy introduction that includes historical information, followed by themed menus (e.g. Barbeque, Sports, Beach, Hotel Room) and the collection of recipes. There are two versions of each themed menu, one of which is vegetarian, and the authors also include a music playlist to match each theme.

The recipes look good, though a good many are rather basic. My biggest complaint about the book is the lack of photos. There are some nice line drawings, but they just don't inspire me the same way as beautiful food photographs.

Here's what I made from the book. The first is a chicken salad wrap with onions, avocado, cranberries and a yogourt/mayo/mustard dressing. The second is a salad with chow mein noodles, edamame, tofu, carrots, cucumber and peppers. I cheated by using a store-bought Asian style dressing and pre-fried tofu.

The salad looks delicious! I like that they have both meat and vegetarian options.

Both look delicious!

Looks gorgeous! I'm with you on the photos - essential for good food porn. :)

>79 RidgewayGirl: >80 lkernagh: >81 -Eva-: Thanks! I love cookbooks with great photography. However, I sometimes get annoyed when a cookbook has gorgeous photos but few recipes. I don't mind the lack of photos in my Silver Palate cookbooks, for example, because they are packed with great recipes.

One recent acquisition I really like is Jamie's Food Revolution. There are a lot of photos but it's also filled with good recipes and variations on the themes. It might not be so useful for experienced chefs but it's perfect for my 15-year-old daughter who likes to cook but is still learning the basics. She made the chicken-and-leek stroganoff for us last night ... yum!

Speaking of my daughter, she has, in the past year, discovered Douglas Coupland and is crazy about his work. We're planning to go to Toronto to see his new exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum. Yesterday, I was thrilled when I found Miss Wyoming at our library book sale. I'm planning to give it to her for her birthday next month. Is it terrible to give a 50-cent used book as a birthday gift? I'll get her something else as well. We usually spend more than 50 cents on our kids' birthdays, but I always enjoy finding book bargains. :)

Has she read Microserfs? That one's my favourite of his.

13. The Martian (4.5 stars)
Category: SFF Awards

Everyone has been talking about this book, so I'm glad I finally got around to reading it! Despite the fact that it's about an astronaut stranded on Mars in a barely survivable situation, it's an entertaining feel-good story. There isn't much character development, but there are a lot of quirky, likeable characters.

This novel has plenty of serious science and engineering in it, enough to satisfy most hard SF fans, but it is not dry. I wish every high school kid could read this book, as it would make their chemistry, physics, biology, math and computer courses seem so much more relevant and interesting!

This was a very nice debut novel for Andy Weir and it’ll be interesting to see what he comes up with next. However, based on his bio, I’d imagine he loves science too much to want to become a full-time writer.

>83 rabbitprincess: Thanks for the recommendation! I'll look out for a copy of Microserfs.

14. Child Royal by D. K. Broster (4 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction

Child Royal is a historical fiction novel set in the French court during the childhood of Mary, Queen of Scots. Betrothed to the son of Henri II, she was raised there instead of in her native country. Although Mary plays a part in the story, the novel is mainly about two Scottish members of her household. I really enjoyed this story, as it had intrigue, romance, and plenty of historical detail.

This is the second D. K. Broster book I've read. They are difficult to find as they are out of print. I volunteer for an organization that processes public domain e-books and we've been working on Broster's books. If you're Canadian, like I am, or live in a country that uses a copyright length of "Life +50" (if you're not sure, check this list), then you can legally download these books from Fadedpage. There is one Broster book there now, and more are coming soon.

15. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (4.5 stars)
Category: Classic SFF
Challenges: SFFFCAT, RandomCAT

I'd read this book decades ago and recently picked up a copy at a used bookstore. The alternate "Blade Runner" cover was unexpected, though I guess that would make the book sell better.

The plot is fast-paced and exciting but there is not much character development. It's Dick's ideas that make this novel truly brilliant. The book is as thought-provoking to me now as it was when I'd first read it. Dick uses different ways of exploring the question: what truly distinguishes the artificial from the natural? The humans in this novel act in ways that diminish their humanity, while those treated as less than human evoke our sympathy.

After I finished the book, I decided to rewatch the Blade Runner movie. The movie is a classic in its own right, but it leaves out an awful lot, including the satirical humour and many of Dick's mind-bending ideas, not to mention the electric sheep of the title.

>87 mathgirl40: I think I read somewhere that the moviemakers wanted Philip K. Dick to write a novelization of "Blade Runner," and he was like, "HELL NO, but you can re-publish my actual novel with a 'Blade Runner' cover!" Which I really have to respect. :)

>88 christina_reads: I hadn't heard that story but I can imagine Dick saying exactly that! :)

16. Ru by Kim Thúy (4 stars)
Category: Canadian Awards

This very short novel is structured as a series of vignettes portraying the main character's experiences in Vietnam and in Montreal, as well as during the perilous boat journey between these two places. The writing is beautiful, though perhaps it would have been even more so in the original French. I did try a few pages in French but decided I would do better with the translated version.

I'll share a personal story from my childhood. When I was 15, I attended a summer math camp where I met a girl of the same age who was one of the Vietnam boat people who had settled in my hometown of Montreal. We became friends and she gave me a copy of a book she'd written about her boat journey, L'eau de la liberté: du Vietnam au Québec. It was published by a small Quebec press and some years later, it was translated into English with the title Escape from Vietnam. The author's name is listed simply as Doan, her first name. I lost touch with Doan and have often wondered what she is doing these days. I don't remember much about the quality of writing, but I do recall being very moved by her story and also being extremely impressed that, at age 15, she had written a book! I will have to dig up the book one day and add it to the LT database.

17. Symbiont by Mira Grant (3.5 stars)
Category: Horror

Symbiont is the second book in the trilogy that started with Parasite. I didn't like Parasite very much, but decided to persevere. I enjoyed Symbiont more, possibly because I've become invested in the characters and, after learning more of the backstory, the whole premise of tapeworms in human form seems marginally more believable. Sadly, this series is much weaker than Grant's excellent Feed trilogy, but I am still eager to read the final installment to find out how things play out.

>90 mathgirl40: That's a great story! Would be great if you could even find her again!

>90 mathgirl40: Also, are you in the Canadian Bookworms group? There's a thread there for reviews... :-)
http://www.librarything.com/topic/161115

>93 LibraryCin: I am a member of that group but I haven't visited recently, only because I'm finding it hard to keep up with even one or two groups! :) Thanks for the reminder of the reviews thread.

18. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill (4 stars)
Category: Canadian Awards

This is the first of Heather O’Neill’s books I’ve read, and I’ll certainly be reading more of her work. Lullabies for Little Criminals is a coming-of-age story about Baby, a precocious and resourceful 12-year-old girl who grows up in the rougher parts of Montreal. She not only survives but even conveys some of the pleasures of childhood, despite the many obstacles she faces, including having a drug addict as a father. The voice is fresh and the tone is frequently light and humorous, but I found the novel quite disturbing. It's hard to read about prostitution, child abuse, addiction and crime when it's happening to a 12-year-old, even if it's fiction! I always enjoy books set in my hometown of Montreal, though Baby's childhood surroundings were somewhat different from my own.

>95 mathgirl40: I really liked this one, too, when I read it a couple of years ago.

>95 mathgirl40: - Your review has reminded me that I thought Little Criminals was quite a good story. Now I need to see what else she has written.

Lullabies for Little Criminals is good, isn't it? Despite the dire subject matter, Baby was a joy to spend time with. I've got to get my hands on her latest book.

>96 LibraryCin: >97 lkernagh: >98 RidgewayGirl: Nice to see that others share my opinion of Lullabies for Little Criminals! A friend lent me a copy of Heather O'Neill's latest, The Girl Who Was Saturday Night, and I hope to get to that one soon.

>99 mathgirl40: I'll be interested to hear how that one is!

19. Horns by Joe Hill (4.5 stars)
Category: Horror

After finishing the Locke and Key series and N0S4R2, I’ve become a Joe Hill fan and this novel, one of his earlier works, did not disappoint. The story is about a man who, while seeking the person responsible for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, slowly turns devil-like. The story is clever, funny, heartwarming at times and darned hard to put down. However, there are disturbing passages and a lot of strong language, so I wouldn’t recommend this to everyone.

Has anyone watched the movie which came out late in 2014? I've seen mixed reviews, though I've heard Daniel Radcliffe's performance is very good.

20. Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (4 stars)
Category: Classic SFF
Challenges: SFFCAT

This novel, the first of Asimov's Robot series, is a police procedural in a science fiction setting. It was very enjoyable, and it was interesting to read this right after finishing Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, as they both share as one of their themes the exploration of human-robot coexistence. I was amused by a few passages which made the book seem very dated, such as Elijah's incredulity over how much information a computer can process in 3 hours, as well as Jessie’s need to fix her makeup even (especially?) in times of crisis. This book is a nice blending of SF ideas with a decent plot. I definitely plan to read the sequels.

>101 mathgirl40: I'm reading this now. I hope to finish tonight (as soon as I get my butt away from this computer!).

I haven't (yet!) read Locke and Key, nor have I seen the movie for Horns.

>103 LibraryCin: I saw the review on your thread. Glad you liked Horns too. I highly recommend Locke and Key. Apart from Hill's excellent story, there's also Gabriel Rodriguez's superb artwork to enjoy.

21. At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft (3 or 3.5 stars)
Category: 1001/Classics

This novella, narrated by an explorer on Antarctica who undergoes horrific experiences, did not have much of a plot or character development. On the other hand, Lovecraft excels at building a tense and suspenseful atmosphere. I’d read this as it was chosen for an SFF book club I belong to, but I found out after that it would have been more enjoyable after reading some of Lovecraft’s other stories, as it serves to explain some of the mysteries raised in those. As a standalone story, it was rather long and verbose and not all that satisfying.

22. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (5 stars)
Category: 1001/Classic

I'd first read this book over 25 years ago and on rereading it now, I am as impressed by it as I was then. The novel features a compelling story, memorable characters and thought-provoking themes. However, what really makes this book stand out is the vibrant language in both the dialogue and the descriptive passages. I loved sentences like, "Every morning, the sun flung itself over and exposed the town to the sun." I'd definitely recommend this book, not just for its importance in African-American literature, but because it's a first-rate read.

I'm pretty late with my February recap, but here goes:

Books read: 11
Books from my shelf: 3
Challenges: SFFCAT, RandomKIT, CookingKIT, HorrorKIT
Group Read: Their Eyes Were Watching God

Favourite books: Their Eyes Were Watching God and Horns
Least favourite: At the Mountains of Madness

It was a good month for reading older books, including some classic science fiction for the SFFCAT. I really need to stop getting distracted by all the new awards lists and instead rediscover some of the gems that are sitting on my shelves.

23. Great Classic Hauntings by various authors (4 stars)
Category: Short Stories
Challenges: HorrorKIT

This audiobook is a collection of 6 short stories from the 1800's, including Poe's famous "The Fall of the House of Usher". My favourite is Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Body Snatcher", about medical students who obtain corpses for dissection via suspicious means. Recently, I watched the classic Val Lewton film based on this book, starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Highly recommended!

A bonus for me was the fact that the audiobook is narrated by Geraint Wyn Davies. I've seen Davies in a number of productions at the Canadian Stratford Festival over the past few years, and he did a super job with the narration of these stories.

24. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (5 stars)
Category: International Literary Awards
Challenges: RandomCAT

The Bone Clocks is another from this year's Tournament of Books list. I didn't think it was quite as good as The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet but I had to give it 5 stars anyhow. I fell in love with the characters, especially Holly Sykes, and enjoyed every moment of the reading experience. Yes, the controversial "chapter 5", which many reviewers disliked, was bizarre and so different from the rest of the book, but I still liked it and had faith that Mitchell knew exactly what he was doing (and wasn't just "lazy" as some of his critics have suggested). In rereading what I've just written, I realize that I've not given any description of the book's contents, but the novel is really hard to describe. It doesn't seem to fit conveniently into any genre, so I'll just say that I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction.

>108 mathgirl40: - That one sounds good. Mention of Geraint Wyn Davies brings back memories of TV shows from the 80's. I have never seen any of his stage work but I can imagine he would have a great stage presence.

>110 lkernagh: I've never seen any of Geraint Wyn Davies's TV shows, but now I'm curious and will have to seek some out. I've only seen him on the stage, and he's always given a great performance.

25. Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robinson (3 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction

I decided to read this book only because it was on this year's Evergreen list from the Ontario Library Association. I hadn't heard of the author before, but after reading the wonderful The Children's Book, I was eager to read another historical novel set in the time of WWI. This one, sad to say, was predictable, full of cliches, and featured too many eye-rolling romantic episodes. Yet, I can't really say it was a chore to read. It moved along quickly, included interesting historical details and had a certain charm. If you like historical romance, with an emphasis on the romance part, then I would recommend it, but otherwise, I'd suggest giving it a pass.

>112 mathgirl40: I had a similar opinion of that one…I wanted to like it, but it never rose above the usual historical romance clichés.

The Bone Clocks is impossible to describe unless you want to sound like a lunatic and give far too much away. I loved it and though Holly Sykes was a marvelous character.

I'm impressed that you are doing so well in reading older books. I've been keeping track of the publication dates of the books I'm reading this year, and between the Tournament of Books and being attracted to the new and shiny, the vast majority of books were published this year or in 2014.

>113 christina_reads: I wanted to like it too. It started off well but didn't go in the direction I'd expected.

>114 RidgewayGirl: I'm the worst for getting distracted by the new and shiny. However, now that ToB is coming to an end, I have a little bit of time to read some older books before the Hugo nominees are announced. :)

>111 mathgirl40: - Well, the TV shows were your typical 80's stuff like Airwolf. Nothing stellar like stage acting.

>112 mathgirl40: Well, some stage acting can be stellar ... and some not. In any case, it should be fun to dig up some of those 80's shows. I missed a lot of late-80's TV because I didn't own a television for a few years.

26. Department of Speculation by Jenny Offil (3.5 stars)
Category: International Awards

This novel follows the evolution of a marriage through a series of vignettes. I picked this one up because it was part of the Tournament of Books. I can understand the critical acclaim for it but I didn't like it nearly as much as the other ToB books. On the other hand, I didn’t dislike it either and indeed found myself reading through it without too many breaks. However, not much about the book has stayed in my mind since I’d read it.

27. The Chez Piggy Cookbook (4 stars)
Category: Dust Collector
Challenges: CookingKIT

The CookingKIT inspired me to go through this cookbook from one of my favourite restaurants, Chez Piggy in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The restaurant was started by the late Zal Yanovsky, founder of the 1960’s band The Lovin’ Spoonful.

The cookbook is from 1998 but the recipes don’t seem dated and many are still on the restaurant’s menu. There is a mix of international recipes, including a number influenced by Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisines. My main complaint is that this cookbook, like many other restaurant cookbooks, uses an abundance of ingredients that are not in the typical household pantry. For that reason, I use the recipes mainly for inspiration and often make substitutions.

For the CookingKIT, I made two soup recipes and this time, I did try to follow the recipes fairly closely. I even managed to find preserved lemons at a local gourmet food store. The first photo is of the Spiced Lentil Soup with Preserved Lemon and the second is of the Gingered Squash Soup. I also used the book's Basic Stock recipe for the base chicken stock.

28. The Lobster Kings by Alexi Zentner (3.5 stars)
Category: Canadian Awards

The Lobster Kings is one of the books from the Ontario Library Association’s 2015 Evergreen list. The author is rather heavy-handed with the King Lear theme but otherwise, I enjoyed this book, which is set on a tiny island between Newfoundland and Maine. The book tells the story of the Kings family and their efforts to protect their generations-old lobster fishing business and their way of life from the intrusion of poachers and drug dealers. The novel does have its flaws. There is a lot, too much perhaps, going on, and the plot isn't altogether convincing. However, I must admit that I am partial to novels set in Canada’s Atlantic provinces, and Zentner does a great job at evoking the feel of that region.

I also discovered, after finishing the book, that the author is originally from the city in which I now live!

29. Horrorstor (3.5 stars)
Category: Horror

Horrorstor is a haunted-house story with a twist. The "house' in question is an IKEA-like home furnishings store and the novel is formatted like an IKEA catalogue. Having walked through an IKEA store many times, I really enjoyed this romp through the showroom and appreciated the subtle pokes at the IKEA image and business model. The characters and plot are not especially memorable, but the book is clever and fun, and I’m sure that on my next visit to IKEA, I’ll be seeing everything in a different light!

Happy to see Horrorstor was an enjoyable 'romp' for you! It is a good thing we don't have an IKEA here in Victoria or I would be scrutinizing the store rather closely on my shopping trips. ;-)

>122 lkernagh: It's probably just as well if I avoid IKEA for a while, as I spend way too much whenever I'm there. :)

Feeling very pleased .... A few days ago, a fellow BookCrosser sent me Morality for Beautiful Girls from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I'd read the first of the series last year and put a couple of volumes on my BookCrossing wishlist. It was a lovely surprise to find it in the mail! Then the very next day, I found Tears of the Giraffe and The Full Cupboard of Life, in almost pristine condition, for 25 cents each, on the library sale shelf. Looks like Mma Ramotswe is in my future. :)

30. The Killings at Badger’s Drift by Caroline Graham (3.5 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

This is the first of the Inspector Barnaby series on which the Midsomer Murders TV show is based. This is a decent mystery, with a somewhat unbelievable over-the-top plot and a high body count, just like the TV series. Barnaby and Troy don’t come off as likable as they do on the show, but I suspect they will develop more in later novels. This was an enjoyable light read and I hope to find more of the books from this series.

31. More than Human by Theodore Sturgeon (4 stars)
Category: Classic SF

From the 1950’s, this award-winning novel is a thought-provoking and gripping read. It is also filled with a lot of psychology chatter that went over my head. The book is made up of three linked novella-length parts that describes the emergence of a new life form made up of interconnected humans who each contributes an important function to the whole. I liked very much the characters in this story, who are mostly outcasts struggling to fit into the "normal" world until they find one another and their roles in the new being.

>123 mathgirl40: - Sounds like you have a good head start on collecting the books in the series!

Ha! I have a friend who works at IKEA. I can't go into the store myself. It gave me the willies the first time I walked through it! It's instant day ruiner for me.

As for The Martian, check out this site. http://www.mars-one.com/ It's for real. Sort of. There are a few interesting articles about it on-line, including a group of doctorate candidates that say they'd last 60 days.

I still haven't read Sturgeon. I've got to fix that problem, don't I.

>124 mathgirl40:
I actually liked that Barnaby got to have a little bit of a dark past and was allowed to get sarcastic at time. The other books in the series are good too - I think there was only one of them I didn't care for at all.

I'm going to have to ask you to stop reading such good books, please. My TBR can't take it! I'm nearly done with The Martian, and that's the only one that didn't get me with a BB! Hope you're having a lovely Easter weekend!

I went to IKEA once with my friend. (Once was enough!) I was looking for something to replace the ratty curtains in my front rooms. Every time I found something to consider I was pushed out of the way by some other person. I was so annoyed I couldn't really consider buying anything there. The only redeeming part of the day was lunch which was a gravlax plate.

>126 lkernagh: Now if I only had time to read all the books I've collected!

>127 cammykitty: I'd heard of this mission but hadn't checked out the site yet. Thanks for the link. I must say that I'm curious about the people who have signed up and their motivations.

>128 -Eva-: It's good to know that the follow-up books are equally enjoyable. Thanks!

>129 LauraBrook: I did have a great Easter weekend with family, thanks! I guess it's only fair to be sending out the BBs, as I've certainly received a good many from you and others in this group. :)

>130 mamzel: Yes, IKEA can be quite unpleasant when it's crowded. When we end up lunching there, I usually choose the gravalax plate myself.

32. Lovesick by Alex Wellen (2.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collector

I’d gotten this book through a BookCrossing exchange. It is not the sort of book I would have normally picked up, and reading this, after having it sit on my shelves for a long time, confirmed that idea. The story is about a pharmacy assistant who inadvertently finds himself caught in a fraudulent prescription-medicine ring. I found it a messy mix of romance, comedy and social commentary, with characters that were mostly unappealing to me and too many tedious wedding-planning scenes. I don’t want to write it off completely, as it had gotten good reviews (but was that because of the author’s influence as a journalist and CNN executive?) and the format might appeal to other readers, but I found the book a struggle to get through.

33. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniell Kahneman (4.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

This lengthy book about how we think and make decisions was not easy to get through. The author starts with definitions of the two systems that shape our decision making and works through a number of logical errors that humans are prone to making and which often result in poor decisions. Though the book does not read like a textbook, it is more detailed and contains much more substance than the typical pop psychology book. It is repetitive at times and there is a good deal of discussion of statistics theory. Kahneman does, however, do a good job of presenting the mathematics in a way that's understandable to a non-expert.

Despite the fact that it was a bit of a struggle to get through the book, I'm very glad I'd read it. My husband and daughter had also read excerpts of the book, and we had very good discussions about the ideas. I was surprised by the realization that I too am prone to making the logical errors the author points out.

My favourite part of the book comes near the end, when he talks about happiness and in particular, assessing the things that we believe to bring us happiness. For example, he compared the happiness one derives from buying a nice new car and from joining a weekly activity like a book club and points out that the latter continues to bring happiness over the long run because we give it attention on a regular basis while we stop noticing the comforts of the car after the initial thrill wears off. He goes on to say that people often underestimate the happiness that certain choices bring. I mentioned this passage to members of my book club and we couldn't agree more!

LOL, I agree about the car/book club thing... but I'd love a nice new car that was already paid for! Payments sure take the shine off the joy quickly.

>132 mathgirl40: - Free books are a great way to try out new authors/genres but like you mention, sometimes it just confirms what you already think - that it isn't your type of read. ;-)

>133 mathgirl40: Thinking Fast and Slow sounds very interesting! My mum had it on her Christmas list but then we ended up getting her a bunch of other books instead. Maybe she'll get this one for Mother's Day, and then let her children borrow it when she's finished ;)

IKEA is best visited on a weekday morning. I love it, but crowds make me cranky.

>134 cammykitty: I'd love a new car too, but for now, I'll console myself with my book clubs. :)

>135 lkernagh: I agree. I always feel bad when I dislike a book given to me by a fellow BookCrosser, but this one just didn't work for me. The current BC book I'm reading is a winner, though, and I wouldn't have known about the author if the book hadn't been passed on to me. (Review to come later ... I'm way behind.)

>136 rabbitprincess: That's a great idea. I'm afraid I do that too -- give my family books that I want to read myself.

>137 RidgewayGirl: I'm not fond of crowds either. I try to avoid malls as much as possible these days. It's so much nicer to go to the library. :)

34. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (4.5 stars)
Category: International Awards
Challenges: SFFCAT

This is the first in Atwood's MaddAddam trilogy. It tells the story of Jimmy, a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world where most of the human race had been wiped out by a pandemic. Through flashbacks, we see the events and triggers that led to the disaster, in a world where genetic engineering had become commonplace.

I had first read Oryx and Crake years ago, when it was first published. I found I enjoyed this second read even more. Having read the sequels and knowing how the story plays out, I didn't rush through the story focussed on the plot, but instead I was able to appreciate better the details of the post-apocalyptic world, the relationships between the characters, and Atwood's sharp humour.

35. Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi (4 stars)
Category: Short Stories
Challenge: SFFCAT

This was a solid collection of stories. I enjoyed almost all of them, and I was particularly impressed by "Pocketful of Dharma" and "Yellow Card Man". The latter is set in the same world as that of The Windup Girl. Most of the stories take place in a dystopian setting and many involve the theme of genetic engineering and other types of bio-engineering. Sometimes the dystopian aspects of the world arise from the abuse or overuse of bio-engineering but in other situations, the technology is essential to the people's survival.

It was interesting to read this collection right after reading Oryx and Crake, as both books deal with bio-technology and the environment, and the consequences of the choices we make with respect to each.

>140 mathgirl40: Just found a copy of this yesterday so I'm glad you enjoyed the collection overall.

I reread Oryx and Crake right after reading The Year of the Flood. It was good the second time and, as you said, it was interesting to read it in light of what happens in the second book. I need to read Maddaddam soon.

>141 AHS-Wolfy: I hope you enjoy the collection too. Some of the stories were rather disturbing and several did not seem as polished as his later work, but I loved the ideas and world-building.

>142 RidgewayGirl: I really liked how Maddaddam tied the earlier two books together. I'd like to reread Year of the Flood and Maddaddam in the near future, while Oryx and Crake is fresh in my mind. However, I also want to read Atwood's new short-story collection, Stone Mattress. Not enough hours in the day!

Here, finally, is my March recap:

Books read: 13
Books from my shelf: 4
Challenges: SFFCAT, RandomKIT, CookingKIT, HorrorKIT

Favourite book: The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Least favourite: Lovesick by Alex Wellen

In March, I was still being distracted by awards lists (Tournament of Books and Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list) but I did manage to read 4 off my shelves, including 2 in my Dust Collectors category. That's not too impressive, but at least it's an improvement over January and February. The new David Mitchell was definitely a highlight of the month!

Fortunately, I won't be too obsessed with Hugo reading this year, even though I've bought my membership and will be downloading the Voter Packet when it's available. In case you've not heard about the controversy, there is some discussion here on LT:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/189739

I'm open to reading all the candidates' works, even those on the Sad Puppies and Rabid Puppies slate, but to be honest, most of the nominees (especially those from the RP slate) don't look all that appealing. I do plan to read Ancillary Sword and The Goblin Emperor, and I'd like to try Jim Butcher's novel, but it's #15 in the series. I've not read any of the Dresden Files series and I'm not sure this will work as a standalone. I am looking forward to reading Saga, Volume 3 and will probably read some of the other graphic novels. I try to be a conscientious voter and so I'll likely sample most of the works, but I don't think I'll be getting far with most of them. Still, I might be pleasantly surprised!

I hate to be pessimistic about it, but I don't think anyone will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of those books put forward by the Sad/Rabid Puppies.

>145 RidgewayGirl: I fear you may be right.

I've been following George R. R. Martin's commentary on this matter at his blog. One of my favourite comments is his reply to Larry Correia's question about whether Starship Troopers would win a Hugo today. He answered, "I don't think Heinlein would write STARSHIP TROOPERS in 2014. If you know Heinlein, you know that he was a man who changed with the times throughout his career. He was always trying new things, new techniques, new challenges... and his political views changed HUGELY over his lifetime."

I love this answer because science fiction as a genre has evolved over time, to a greater extent than many other genres, and continues to do so. I can't really relate to some of the SP/RP fans' desire to go back to the "Golden Age". That kind of writing is still an important part of SF, but what I love about SF as a genre is that it pushes the boundaries and looks beyond, in many different ways.

Well, my Hugo reading list will be bigger than I'd originally thought. Based on advice received from luvamystery65 and others commenting on her thread, I've decided to skip Skin Game but instead go to the beginning of Jim Butcher's Dresden series and read Storm Front.

Also, I just found out that The Three-Body Problem will be replacing Lines of Departure, which Marko Kloos has withdrawn because of the Rabid Puppies controversy. I feel bad for Kloos, who seemed like an innocent bystander in all this mess, but I've been wanting to read The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, especially as it's translated by Ken Liu. I've read some of Ken Liu's short fiction and was very impressed. I do hope Tor will be including this and The Goblin Emperor in the Hugo Voter Packet!

36. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (4 stars)
Category: International Awards

I'd discovered this book through the 2015 Tournament of Books list. The book examines how various members of a mixed Chinese American family deals with a daughter's disappearance. This debut novel is well crafted and though it has a sad feel to it throughout, I wanted to keep reading to find out how the story unravels. This wasn't among my favourites from the ToB list but I liked it enough that I will be looking out for Ng's future work.

One aspect that I found interesting was the examination of the parents' relationship and how they were treated by the community. Interracial marriages were rare when I was growing up and children from such marriages were treated as interesting oddities. I'm happy to see that's no longer the case. My husband (German) and I (Chinese) agree that the best part of our marriage is being able to enjoy the foods of both cultures. Our kids occasionally complain that that is also the worst part, particularly when they are pressed by grandparents to eat some strange and exotic specialty from the old country. :)

37. Morning Glories, Volume 1: For a Better Future by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (3.5 stars)
Category: Horror
Challenges: HorrorKIT

Morning Glories is a young-adult graphic novel set in a boarding school about a group of new students and their very sinister teachers. The setting reminded me a little of Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, which I had liked very much. This series has a promising start and has a very creepy feel, but I also found the plotlines extremely confusing. The final chapter in this volume, which features a jump in time, left me totally perplexed. Perhaps I need to read more before I can judge whether I like this series or not.

38. Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson (4.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collectors
Challenges: RandomCAT

I chose this book, another I'd obtained through a BookCrossing exchange, for April's RandomCAT. As befits the CAT theme, the main character, Hope, goes through a life-altering change in that she learns how to deal with her mother's verbal abuse. I enjoyed this story very much. It is perhaps a little simplistic for adult tastes (not the type of young adult fiction that is also popular with adults) but it is perfect for middle-school children, especially those who have encountered verbal abuse or other forms of bullying. Hope is a wonderful character, and I also liked the references to The Diary of Anne Frank and the movie, Life is Beautiful. Even though the subject matter is heavy, the story itself is uplifting and easy to read.

39. Campus Chills edited by Mark Leslie (3.5 stars)
Category: Short Stories
Challenges: HorrorKIT

This collection is a mixed bag of horror stories set on various Canadian university campuses. There are some notable authors including Kelley Armstrong and Julie Czerneda. This book had a special appeal for me as I was familiar with most of the campuses featured, including that of my own alma mater, the University of Waterloo. My favourite stories are "Prospero’s Ghost" by Kimberly Foottit and "Radio Nowhere" by Douglas Smith. The latter was a very pleasant surprise. I’d never read anything by Smith and was surprised to find out that he graduated from the same department that I did, though at a different time. I really enjoyed his story and will certainly seek out more of his work.

40. Wise Man’s Fears by Patrick Rothfuss (3.5 stars)
Category: Fantasy Doorstoppers

I have really mixed feelings about this book. I wish I could rate it higher because I enjoy this series so much, and I can see it eventually becoming a favourite that I'll want to reread. However, there are so many flaws in this second book of the Kingkiller Chronicle. First of all, the book is just way too long and could have used a serious editing. Some of the scenes felt repetitive and the Felurian section grew tedious after the first couple of chapters. Now I know why Brandon Sanderson signed his book, "100% less sex with random goddesses," in his signing duel with Rothfuss. I did enjoy very much the sections set in Severen and Ademre. However, this novel felt like a series of novellas stitched together rather than a cohesive whole. Despite my complaints, I am eagerly awaiting the final book!

>152 mathgirl40: Shame the second book doesn't match the heights of the first but glad to hear there's enough there to garner enough interest to carry on.

>152 mathgirl40: I had some of the same issues with the first book, but I have been meaning to carry on with the trilogy. Sounds like The Wise Man's Fear has some of the same flaws.

Howdy Paulina! I'm going to be reading Lovecraft in June. It was good to get your take on The Mountains of Madness.

I found a copy of Crystal Soldier by Sharon Lee that I plan to get to in May or June. Can't wait to get started on this series.

>152 mathgirl40:
That's a shame to hear since I enjoyed the first one so much. I'm thinking I may hold off on this one until the last one is published so that I'll have a great impetus and won't judge this one too much. 3.5 is still a nice rating, so I know it'll be a good read.

>153 AHS-Wolfy: >154 DeltaQueen50: >156 -Eva-: There are serious flaws in The Wise Man's Fear, but don't let me discourage you from reading it. It was still very enjoyable. It's just that it might have been much more enjoyable with 25% fewer pages. :)

>155 luvamystery65: I might try more Lovecraft. I'm not sure The Mountains of Madness was the best to start with. I'm looking forward to my next Liaden book too! I'll definitely read a couple during August's group read, but I might get to one before that.

I'm afraid I've been neglecting my reviews and my favourite threads the past couple of weeks! Real life has been interfering, but in a good way. I've been attending a lot of musical performances that my daughter has been involved in, we've had family members visit, and volunteer work has been taking up a lot of time too. Oh ... and there's that thing called a "job" that I have to go to every day. I hope to catch up on LT activities soon!

41. The Yellow Poppy by D. K. Broster (4 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction

I've been working through D. K. Broster's historical novels, and this one, set at the end of the French Revolution, is my latest. It's really a shame that her books are out of print these days. (However, as mentioned earlier, if Broster is in the public domain in your country, you can get e-book versions legally from Faded Page, where I volunteer.)

This novel follows the exploits of several French aristocrats in the midst of the Chouan uprising. As with other Broster books, this one features romance, suspense, complicated plot twists and loads of interesting historical detail. The writing style seems a bit old-fashioned, but this novel was a very enjoyable read.

42. Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto (4.5 stars)

Although Forgiveness is billed as a memoir, only a small portion of it is devoted to Mark Sakamoto's own story. It is mostly about his paternal grandmother's and his maternal grandfather's ordeals during WWII. His grandmother's Japanese Canadian family was treated unconscionably by the Canadian government, despite the fact that she and her siblings were Canadian citizens. His grandfather suffered greatly as a POW in Japan. Yet, these two people were able to overcome their anger and prejudices to come together as a family when their children decided to wed.

Sakamoto is a great storyteller, and I found this book very hard to put down. Sakamoto's own youth seemed very difficult, as his mother had been an alcoholic. It's impressive that he has accomplished so much. This is his first book, and before that, he worked as a lawyer and political advisor.

This book is the 4th one I've read from the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list. So far, Station Eleven is still my favourite, but this is a close second.

43. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I was considering reading the Dresden book that was nominated for this year's Hugo Best Novel award, but several LT members (who are always reliable!) recommended that I start with this first book, and so I did.

This novel had its weaknesses and some aspects were predictable and clichéd, but overall I enjoyed it and am more than willing to continue with the series, which I’ve heard improves with later books. I love both SFF and mystery and I particularly liked the mix of private-investigator story with supernatural elements. I listened to this on audiobook and the narration by James Marsters was superb.

>160 mathgirl40: I am so glad you went with the audio on the Dresden book! I look forward to your reactions to these as you try them out.

>161 luvamystery65: I hope to get to another of the Dresden books soon ... just have to get through a big pile of TBRs first. :)

44. Before the Frost by Henning Mankell (3 stars)
Category: Nordic Mysteries

I was looking forward to reading this novel, as I was intrigued by the idea of a Wallander mystery featuring Kurt's daughter Linda, but I was disappointed. Mankell emphasizes how much Linda is like her father. However, Kurt's tendency to break rules and go with his instincts seems natural for an investigator with decades of experience and an understanding of the risks. The same tendency in a rookie like Linda just seems like sheer stupidity. I cringed as she goes from one poor decision to another, even if she does work things out in the end, and Kurt just comes across as a grumpy old man. Mankell's worst is still pretty good, but I liked the other Wallander books so much better.

45. Ancillary Swordby Ann Leckie (4 stars)
Category: SFF Awards

This is the sequel to Ancillary Justice, which swept the major SF awards last year. This second book, a current Hugo nominee, explores further the character of the AI Breq and the fascinating world that Leckie created. This one is more focused on relationships and politics in a small sector of the Radch empire. I missed the larger scale of the first book and there are still many questions unanswered. As before, Breq's inability to distinguish gender, with the use of the single pronoun "she" throughout, affected my own visualization of the characters. Leckie really likes to play with our preconceptions!

46. The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby (4.5 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction
Challenges: HistoryCAT

This is a fictionalized account of the life of Murasaki, author of The Tale of Genji, and it takes place in 11th century Japan. Although I might have appreciated the book even more had I been familiar with The Tale of Genji, I still found it an extremely enjoyable story. There were many historical details, perhaps too many for some readers, as there are long, detailed passages about clothing and gardens, for example, but I found it all interesting. One aspect I found particularly fascinating was the use of poetry in personal communication and the various interpretations that might arise in the exchanges. Murasaki's own poetry is worked into the narrative and is featured throughout the novel.

>165 mathgirl40: That sounds very interesting. I love detailed historical fiction, but haven't read much from Japan. If I run across it, I'll definitely pick it up.

>166 japaul22: I've not read much historical fiction about Japan, either, but another I did like very much was The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell.

47. The Once and Future King (4 stars)
Category: Dust Collectors
Challenges: SFFCAT

I can understand why this lengthy book (actually made up of 5 short novels) is considered a classic. It is a wonderful and influential retelling of the Arthurian legend. The depiction of Lancelot's and Guenever's relationship is particularly complex. Large parts of it felt like a 5-star read to me, but other parts marred my enjoyment of the story. The last part, The Book of Merlyn, felt like one long lecture from T. H. White. The exception was the final chapter of that part which brings the events of the earlier books to a conclusion. Also, it seemed strange to go from the first part, The Sword in the Stone, which felt like a children's story, to the much darker material in the subsequent books.

I couldn't help but think of the Harry Potter series (especially the King's Cross scene with Harry and Dumbledore) as I'd read this book. J. K. Rowling had said that White was a major influence, and I can truly believe that.

Here is my April recap, late as usual. :)

Books read: 12 (out of 47 in all)
Books from my shelf: 5 (out of 14 in all)
Challenges: SFFCAT, RandomCAT, HistoryCAT, HorrorKIT

Favourite books: Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto and The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby

I did better last month with reading books off my shelf. However, I just found out that the Hugo Voter Packet is now available, so this will derail my good intentions for the next couple of months.

48. Omens by Kelley Armstrong (3.5 stars)
Category: Horror
Challenges: HorrorKIT

This is the first of Kelley's Armstrong's Cainsville series. It starts off strong, with a very intriguing premise -- a young woman discovers she's the daughter of serial killers and has her world turned upside down. The plot gets rather convoluted and implausible later on, but I'm intrigued enough that I will most certainly read the sequels. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful, but the characters did not appeal to me as much as those in other Armstrong novels I've read. Also, the supernatural aspect is fairly light compared to her other books. This one felt more like a mystery/thriller novel, which is fine with me, as I enjoy that genre just as much.

49. Susannah of the Yukon by Muriel Denison (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This is a charming children's story, the second in Denison's Susannah series. (The first had been made into a movie starring Shirley Temple.) Susannah travels with her family to the Yukon and gets into the excitement of the Gold Rush. I enjoyed this adventure story, as well as the many illustrations. The novel does contain a few passages that would be considered very politically incorrect today. However, to offset that, there were several strong female characters who had no trouble surviving in the rugged North.

>171 mathgirl40: I love the cover!

And for some reason the fact that the story is set in the Yukon reminds me of the Murdoch Mysteries episode where he goes to the Klondike ;)

Those old fashioned covers are very charming. Glad the story stood up to time.

>172 rabbitprincess: >173 mamzel: I have to confess that I don't actually have a print copy of Susannah of the Yukon. I had a digital version available. I just pulled this lovely cover from LT's collection of images.

>172 rabbitprincess: I loved that Murdoch episode! :)

50. Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman (4.5 stars)
Challenges: SFFCAT

This sequel and conclusion to Seraphina did not completely pull me in, as the first one did, but it is still a mighty fine book. The characters are wonderfully drawn, especially the truly creepy and fascinating villain Jannoula. Nothing about this story feels clichéd, not even the love triangle; that, to me, seems quite an accomplishment for a YA fantasy series. Even though I will miss the characters, I'm glad Hartman decided to make this set a duology rather than drag the story out unnecessarily. I found the conclusion to Seraphina's story satisfying. I wouldn't mind, however, if Hartman were to write other stories set in the same world.

51. Between Gods: A Memoir by Alison Pick (3.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

This is a very honest memoir about Pick's journey in exploring and eventually converting to Judaism. I didn't enjoy the first half of the memoir so much and almost gave up on it. Pick comes across as self-indulgent, often causing pain to her friends and family with her personal struggles. However, I found the second half much more interesting, as it includes the experiences that surrounded her writing of Far to Go, a novel that I liked very much.

52. The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh (3 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

I've liked the other Inspector Alleyn mysteries I've read, but this one was just OK. It's in the style of a traditional country-house mystery except that it takes place in an operating theatre. There's even a reenactment at the end, after which our detective reveals all. The story had too many clichéd elements, including a communist secret society. Why does this appear in so many Golden Age mysteries? Were there really so many such groups in the 1930s?

>177 mathgirl40: That almost sounds so bad it's good! And that sinister cover really adds to the overall effect. I hope the next Alleyn book you read is better!

>176 mathgirl40: I saw the name Alison Pick and I knew that I was familiar with that author some how. I found that I have Far To Go waiting on my Kindle for me, and it sounds like I will enjoy it when I get to it.

>177 mathgirl40: I so agree with you about the secret societies that you find so often in the Golden Age mysteries! I think all the author's did at least one (or more) book on that subject. I guess communism was the dark enemy of the 1930's, before the Nazis took over in the 1940's.

>178 rabbitprincess: It really is a great cover, isn't it? :)

>179 DeltaQueen50: I hope you enjoy Far to Go. I thought it was very good, and I look forward to reading more fiction from Pick.

53. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (3.5 stars)
Category: Classics and 1001 Books

I like Hemingway's writing very much, but this novel is not one of my favourites, even though some critics think it's his finest. I did find the relationships between the characters interesting, even if the characters themselves were not very appealing. Hemingway evokes well the aimlessness of the Lost Generation.

>160 mathgirl40:
Yey for Dresden-love! Yes, they will indeed get even better. And, I agree, the audioversion is the right way to go for this series.

>165 mathgirl40:
I have The Tale of Genji waiting on Mt. TBR, so I'll be leaving a note for myself to check this one out once I've read that one.

>168 mathgirl40:
I adored this book when I was younger and am a bit wary of rereading, just in case it doesn't hold up. It will happen one of these days, though.

>182 -Eva-: Yes, it's always a risk to reread childhood favourites. Not having read The Once and Future King as a child, I can't say for sure, but I think it would stand up to a rereading. Yes, there were aspects of the book that I disliked, but there was also much that I loved, reading it as an adult. I believe it's a book that can be enjoyed and appreciated, in different ways, as a child as an adult. I rather wish that I had read it as a child so I could compare!

54. The Locked Room by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (3.5 stars)
Category: Nordic Mysteries

In this novel, Martin Beck investigates a classic locked-room mystery while his colleagues try to capture a ring of bank robbers. I found this installment of the series a little slower and less suspenseful than the others but there were some clever elements in the plot and a bit of humour at the expense of the police force as well.

55. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (4 stars)
Category: SFF Awards
Challenges: SFFCAT

This is one of the graphic novels I received in my Hugo Voter Packet. In this series, Kamala Khan, a Pakistani American teenager assumes the identity of Ms. Marvel. Apart from the usual super-hero action stuff, we see the life of a typical teen trying to deal with the expectations of parents and peers. I found this volume wonderfully refreshing. However, I couldn't go higher than 4 stars because, though there was much to like (characters, artwork, themes), I didn't find the story particularly compelling. It was a very enjoyable read but I don't feel the need to rush out to get the next volume. Still, I would be far from disappointed if this book were to take the Hugo for Graphic Novel.

56. Cat's Cradle (4 stars)
Category: 1001 and Classic Books

This apocalyptic novel, a satire about science, religion, the Cold War, dictatorships and more, was a reread for me. I've never been especially fond of Vonnegut's type of humour and had wondered why readers were so enthusiastic about his writing. However, the more I read (or reread) his books, the better I appreciate how he well he exposes the ridiculous elements in our world.

57. Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley (3 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: SFFCAT

I have very mixed feelings about this book. The world-building is amazingly complex and interesting. There are thought-provoking themes and complex storylines, and I believe this could be the start of a memorable series. However, I had such a hard time getting through this book. I spent much of it feeling confused and started getting annoyed with the author. Did she really need to introduce over 100 named characters, many of which had similar sounding names? Fortunately, these were all listed in the glossary, but it was still a chore keeping them straight. I don't mind novels that challenge the reader, but this one felt like 80% world-building and 20% story. I will wait to see the reviews of the second book before deciding whether to read it.

>183 mathgirl40:
That's very good to hear!

>185 mathgirl40:
It's on the wishlist, but I've noted that many people have the same thoughts about it as you, so it's not at the very top of the list - I'll try and get it from the library first.

>188 -Eva-: I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts about Ms. Marvel. I found out our library has the second volume, so I'll read that sometime.

58. Saga, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples (4 stars)
Category: Space Opera

I was very happy to find Volume 3 of this excellent space opera series in my Hugo Voter Packet. I continue to enjoy the many interwoven storylines, and in this volume, I liked seeing the stories of several minor characters fleshed out. I'd recommend anyone wanting to try this series to start from the beginning.

59. Collapse by Jared Diamond (4.5 stars)
Category: Nonfiction
Challenges: HistoryCAT

In this book, Diamond looks at a number of ancient civilizations that had collapsed as a result of their responses to environmental problems. He also looks at several modern societies at risk to see if lessons learned from the earlier disasters can be applied. The book is not wholly pessimistic, however, as Diamond also talks about societies that have survived and are still thriving, because of sound decisions they have made. Many books discussing the environment can be preachy and one-sided, but Diamond does a good job of showing that the problems are extremely complex, with many stakeholders to consider. This is a long and detailed read, but I appreciated the depth with which Diamond explored the subjects. It's a thought-provoking book and left me reexamining my own views on various environmental issues.

60. Mindscan (3.5 stars)
Category: SFF Awards

Mindscan has a very interesting premise: what if you could transfer a copy of your brain's contents to an artificial body? Is this new entity as human as you are?

As with most of the other Robert Sawyer books I've read, the characters and dialogue are the weak points in this novel. However, the ideas are fascinating, and Sawyer wraps them in a story that is well-paced and readable. It's a thought-provoking book that touches on artificial intelligence, mortality, bioethics and more.

Here is my May recap:

Books read: 13 (out of 60 in all)
Books from my shelf: 6 (out of 20 in all)
Challenges: SFFCAT, HistoryCAT, HorrorKIT

Favourite books: Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman and Collapse by Jared Diamond

Despite getting my Hugo Voter Packet, I did pretty well with reading books that have been languishing on my shelf. Got to keep that up!

>189 mathgirl40:
Ooh, I didn't realize the second one was already out!

>194 -Eva-: It looks like #3 will be out on June 23.