Roro rocks 2014 - Part 2

I would think this is my final thread for 2014. I have four categories complete and the other five are pretty close to being finished. So thanks for jointing me for the final sprint to the finish line.

In order to be a bit more creative with my categories this year I have decided to base my categories on the hit songs in the year I turned 14, which was 1986. I have settled on 9 categories and I’m aiming for 7 in each, a total of 63 books.




1 – “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by the Communards
This category is for books that have been languishing on my shelves, either actual or virtual, just waiting to be read. They will be purchases from 2013 or earlier.
7 out of 7 Category Complete

2 – “Chain Reaction” by Diana Ross
This is where I will put all my series and sequels.
7 out of 7 Category Complete

3 – “That’s What Friends Are For” by Dionne Warwick
Books that I read for group themes or group reads can go here
7 out of 7 Category Complete

4 – “A Matter of Trust” by Billy Joel
I plan to let the kids choose some books for me. There are 5 of them so I think this category will fill up fast.
7 out of 7

5 – “Walk Like An Egyptian” by the Bangles
I loved this song, and I love historical fiction, so this is a perfect match.
7 out of 7 Category Complete

6 – “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going” by Billy Ocean
This will be my war catergory. Books here will either be set in the heat of battle or on the home front during the war years.
6 out of 7

7 – “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer
Of course, I need a little romance in my reading now and again. This category is for romance.
7 out of 7 Category Complete

8 – “True Colours” by Cyndi Lauper
Non-fiction needs a home too. I don’t know if I will manage 7 but I will give it a good go.
7 out of 7 Category Complete

9 – “A Good Heart” by Feargal Sharkey
Another song I absolutely loved. This category is here for those books that I just had to read but don’t really fit anywhere else
7 out of 7 Category Complete

Reading my actual books on my bookshelf ticker




Reading my ebooks ticker

Don't Leave Me This Way



1 Cry of the Curlew by Peter Watt
2 One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf
3 City of Light by Lauren Belfer
4 The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
5 Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton
6 Saving Grace by Fiona McCallum
7 Shadow of the Osprey by Peter Watt

Chain Reaction



1 Killing Floor by Lee Child - Jack Reacher book 1
2 Die Trying by Lee Child - Jack Reacher book 2
3 The Lion and the Rose by Kate Quinn - A Novel of the Borgias book 2
4 Seven for a Secret by Lyndsay Faye - Timothy Wilde book 2
5 Grail Knight by Angus Donald - The Outlaw Chronicles Book 5
6 Tripwire by Lee Child - Jack Reacher book 3
7 Tuesday's Gone by Nicci French

That's What Friends Are For



1 The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney, read for MysteryCAT
2 In the Kingdom of Men by Kim Barnes, read for RTT group
3 The House Girl by Tara Conklin, read for RTT group
4 Songs of Willow Frost by Jamie Ford, read for RandomCAT
5 The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, read for RTT group
6 The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, read for Sept GeoCAT
7 Where'd you go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

A Matter of Trust



1 Footprints of Lion by Beverley Harper
2 Some Sunny Day by Annie Groves
3 Swan Gondola by Timothy Schaffert
4 The Golden Widows by Isolde Martyn
5 The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
6 Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan
8 The Petticoat Men by Barbara Ewing

Walk Like An Egyptian



1 The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier
2 The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland
3 Wars of the Roses: Stormbird by Conn Iggulden
4 Daughters of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
5 The Circus of Ghosts by Barbara Ewing
6 Imperial Fire by Robert Lyndon
7 The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson

WhenThe Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going



1 The Undertaking by Audrey Magee
2 Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines
3 The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell
4 Hannibal: Clouds of War by Ben Kane
5 The Iron Castle by Angus Donald
6 The Lie by Helen Dunmore
7 The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming

Addicted to Love



1 The Serpent and the Staff by Barbara Wood
2 Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain
3 The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
4 The Lost Duchess by Jenny Barden
5 The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
6 Her Mother's Shadow by Diane Chamberlain
7 Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman

True Colours


1 The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris
2 Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
3 Aprons and Silver Spoons by Mollie Moran
4 The Happiest Refugee: My Journey From Tragedy to Comedy by Anh Do
5 Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone
6 The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey
7 Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

A Good Heart



1 The Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye
2 Blue Monday by Nicci French
3 Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah
4 Trail of Fire by Diana Gabaldon
5 We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
6 Turning The Stones by Debra Daley
7 Nora Webster by Colm Toibin

A Good Heart

Nora Webster by Colm Toibin



This is the second book I have read by this author. The first was Brooklyn, and I could remember liking that one, so I thought I would give this one a go. Plus I am a sucker for a book with mother and child on a beach on the cover. It always reminds me of when I was a kid as I spent heaps of time at the beach.

Obviously, this book is about Nora Webster. Nora would probably be in her early 40's and she has been widowed. Her husband Maurice, the love of her life, has died and now Nora must find a way to move forward. Nora lives in a small community in Ireland in the 1960's. She has 4 children who are all adjusting in their own ways.

Essentially, this is a book about grief. It is very well written. Nothing very dramatic happens through the book, but more an observer's view of how Nora manages the first few years after the loss of her husband. The portrayal of village life seemed quite authentic.

Love the home movers on your previous thread! 6 books left to go... that is awesome!

Final thread! I had two #2 threads this year too. ;-)

It must feel really satisfying to put those 'completed' signs at the end of your categories. Congrats!

Happy new thread and congratulations on having so many "completed" categories.

Happy new thread! Nice to see all the categories again :) Good luck with the last few books of your challenge!

Happy new thread! Liking your "completed" signs a lot!

>14 lkernagh: Thanks Lori, I've seen similar things on other people's threads and thought they looked good too.

>15 luvamystery65: I felt like a bit of a goose for doing that, it's nice to know I'm in good company.

>16 mamzel: and >19 -Eva-: I really do love putting those completed signs up. They give me a real sense of satisfaction.

Thanks Vivienne and rabbitprincess. I reckon I'll finish with time to spare. Although things can get pretty busy around the end of the year.

I have started reading Shadow of the Osprey which is set in colonial Australia, with a bit of outback Australia too, so it is perfect for this month's geoCAT. It will also mean that I get to complete another category, Don't Leave Me This Way. It is over 600 pages long, so definitely not a quick one.

True Colours
AlphaCAT letter G

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande



Atul Gawande is a surgeon. He has written a few books. This is the first one I have read and I don't think it will be the last. His writing style is almost conversational as he walks us through the process of ageing, living arrangements as we age, and the process of dying.

I guess a lot of people might find this book a bit confronting or sad. As I was sharing the information I read with my husband he commented that he couldn't read it as it sounded too sad. But the fact is, getting old can be sad and lonely. I read this book mainly because I'm a nurse. I come across a lot of older people in my work and I thought a book like this one could refresh my empathy for the people I care for. It turned out to be a good choice. The author followed some older people through their lives in their older years. He also discussed some 'pioneers' in the provision of aged care service. The best part was his discussion of how his research has impacted on his own practice.

I just bought Ben Elton's new book Time and Time Again which will nicely finish off my war category.

I really like Ben Elton and Time and Time Again sounds interesting, I'll be watching for what you think of it.

>23 DeltaQueen50: I'll probably be reading it in a couple of weeks as I need to read my disaster book next.

Yesterday I finished Her Mother's Shadow by Diane Chamberlain, review coming later today. I'm still going with Shadow of the Osprey, it's a big one - 684 pages. My next book will be The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming. It begins with the sinking of the Titanic, so it will be my November disaster book.

Addicted to Love
AlphaCAT - Letter S

Her Mother's Shadow by Diane Chamberlain
Final book in "The Keeper Trilogy"



This is the final book in "The Keeper Trilogy". It is set in the small coastal town of Kiss River and continues with the story of the O'Neill family. This book feature's Lacey and how she is getting her life together after the traumatic events that have occurred in her childhood and her self destructive methods of coping.

Then Lacey's best friend from childhood is involved in a terrible accident resulting in Lacey becoming the guardian of her friend's daughter, Mackenzie. Mackenzie is 11 years old and is struggling to cope with the loss of her mother, something which Lacey should be able to relate to. The transition is difficult.

Of course, we have potential love interests for Lacey. That's why I have this book in my Addicted to Love category.

Overall, this was a pretty good book. The characterisation is good. I love how we get to see how the lives of the other family members are progressing. I will definitely continue to catch up on this author's books.

Don't Leave Me This Way- Category now Complete
AlphaKIT - letter S
GeoCAT - Australia and Oceania

Shadow of the Osprey by Peter Watt
Book 2 in the Frontier Series



This book picks up a few years after the first book Cry of the Curlew and is every bit as good, maybe even a bit better. We follow the lives of the Duffy and the MacIntosh families.

The Duffy family are Irish, they are working class people running a pub in Sydney. The MacIntosh family are a quite rich land owning family that have come over from England. The two families are constantly crossing paths and are bitter enemies, both of them affected by a terrible Aboriginal curse.

We also follow the story Wallerie. An aboriginal who has been present in the lives of these two families and is notorious for his involvement with bushranger Tom Duffy.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read more. There are some decidedly evil characters that I would never want to come across. There are some other interesting characters that at times can be very good and at other times very wicked.

I have just finished my Addicted to Love category. Yay! Review of Lighthouse Bay coming soon.

Addicted to Love
GeoCAT - Australia
RTT Quarterly theme - 1901 to pre WWI
RTT Monthly theme - Disasters
RandomCAT - Disasters

Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman



In 1901, Isabella Winterbourne is struggling with grief and a cruel husband. The Winterbourne family own a renowned jewellery making business and have been commissioned by Queen Victoria to create a ceremonial mace and deliver it to the Australian government. Isabella and her husband Arthur decide to deliver the mace personally. The sea journey presents many challenges for Isabella.

In 2011 in the Australian coastal town of Lighthouse Bay, Libby Slater has returned after a 20 year absence. She has important decisions to make about home and family. With another returned local, Damien, Libby becomes interested in solving the mystery of the lighthouse keeper's diaries.

The two stories are put together really well. Both Libby and Isabella are interesting characters. The family dynamics for both of them is challenging.

One of the things I really loved about this book is that it is set in my local area. My local towns are mentioned and visited. It was really interesting to read descriptions of them in the 1901 time period. This was a good book and I would read other books by this author.

I love reading books set in my local area too. Makes it so much more fun, interesting.

I have been really busy lately. My second daughter graduated from high school. The end of year socialising has really stepped up and to top things off our kitchen renovation is about to start in December. I hope it is finished by Christmas as my husband's whole family are going to join us for the big day. Lucky the weather is perfect for BBQs and eating outside.

We tend to have Xmas dinner outdoors too and it's absolutely amazing, although once the sun goes down, everyone ends up wrapped up in a blanket and the lucky ones get to have a doggie in their lap for extra warmth. :)

When the Going Gets Tough
RandomCAT - Disasters
November RTT - Disasters

The Captain's Daughter by Leah Fleming



This is the story of how two very different women become lifelong friends as a result of sharing the tragic experience of being on board the Titanic when it went down. May is a working class English woman who is moving to America with her husband and baby. Celeste is an upper class English woman, making the journey back to America to her husband and son. The pair end up in the same lifeboat when May is handed a baby, presumably hers. In the light of day it is revealed that a terrible mistake has been made. What is May going to do about it?

The book follows the lives of the two women and May's baby throughout the next few decades. We see them through WWI and WWII, women's suffrage and many other social changes of the times.

I never really got into this book even though the premise of the story was quite good. Maybe just not the right book at the right time for me.

Book of the month of November

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

My best reads for the year:

JANUARY - The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier

FEBRUARY - 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

MARCH - The Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye

APRIL - The House Girl by Tara Conklin

MAY - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

JUNE - Hannibal: Clouds of War by Ben Kane

JULY - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

AUGUST - The Circus of Ghosts by Barbara Ewing

SEPTEMBER - The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

OCTOBER - The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson

I'm sitting at the airport waiting for my daughter, whose flight has been delayed, and I've finished my book! I didn't plan that very well.

It's a Matter of Trust

The Petticoat Men by Barbara Ewing



I have read a couple of other books from this author and really liked them. This book was an excellent choice also. The story is set in 1870 London, during the trial of the "men in petticoats". Isabella Stacey, along with her daughter Mattie and her son Billy run a lodging house in Wakefield St. Ernest and Freddie rent a room from them to store their costumes and props for their dramatic performances where they dress as women. The pair of men are a lot of fun and bring a lot of joy to the house.

Then it is discovered by the authorities that these men are flaunting this unacceptable behaviour, and that they may in fact be gay, a punishable crime in these times. So begins the trial of the petticoat men.

Billy works in Parliament House as a clerk, and finds his position is threatened by this scandal. And what has this trial got to do with the Prime Minister and a noble lord, and the church? Intrigue abounds.

This is also a story of the differences in the classes, and how they are each affected by the scandal.

Another great read.

I have now completed my 2014 challenge.

Free reading ahead!

Congratulations! Feels good doesn't it?

Congrats on finishing! And, yey for free reading! :)

Congratulations!

Thanks Eva, Vivienne and MissWatson. I am very pleased to have finished.

Congrats on completing your challenge!

Congratulations!

Woo hoo, congratulations! :D

Congratulations and you even managed to hit me with a BB with your last read! ;-)

Congratulations, Ro, enjoy your free reading!

Congratulations!!!

Thanks everybody. I don't know how much free reading will be going on. We are so busy at the moment, as most people are I guess. Maybe I'll get two more books in this year. Currently I'm reading Longbourn by Jo Baker for the RTT December Regency theme.

>44 lkernagh: I hope you enjoy The Petticoat Men as much as I did.

>47 Roro8:
I'll be very pleased if I manage two more this year! I always think I have more time than I do once the holidays get closer. :)

I'm more than half way through Longbourn now and quite enjoying it. I even went and borrowed the Pride and Prejudice DVD to refresh my mind on that story.

I have been busy busy at home. The kitchen renovation is progressing well, and should be functional by tomorrow afternoon. Hooray! Then I can start on my Christmas cooking.

Wow, kitchen renovations in December. I am very impressed and happy to read that it should be functional soon.

>50 lkernagh:, I know, not the ideal time, however the plumber came yesterday and we cooked our first meal in our new kitchen last night. We just need to fix up the floor tiles and get the bulkhead finished. They are aesthetic things though and won't affect my Christmas preparations.

I just finished Longbourn by Jo Baker, my Regency read for the reading through time group. Review coming soon.

It's Christmas Eve and Santa will soon be here.

Merry Christmas to all my Librarything friends. I hope you have made the nice list.

Merry Christmas, Ro! :D

Merry Christmas, Ro. Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

Just wishing you a very Merry Christmas, Ro, and a wonderful year ahead. I'm looking forward to sharing your reading in 2015!

Stopping by to wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and all the best in 2015!

Thanks for the Christmas wishes rabbitprincess, Judy, Vivienne and Lori. All my in-laws came to my house and we had a beautiful warm day, lots of lovely salads and cold Christmas meats, followed by presents and a swim in the pool. Then came delicious deserts, sticky date pudding, pavlova and trifle. Yum! Christmas food is fantastic. I hope you all had an enjoyable day too.

Ro, that sounds wonderful! I would like to experience an Australian Christmas sometime - swim in the pool, salads, pavlova. Time to visit my family in Perth, WA.

>59 VivienneR:, I'm sure you'd enjoy it, especially if you have family to share it with.

I've just realised that I haven't written my review for Longbourn yet and I have just finished another book, Frog Music by Emma Donoghue. Two reviews coming soon. Seeing as there are only three days left for 2014, and I am working two them I won't be finishing any more books this year, so the end of year wrap up is on the to do list as well.

Reading Through Time - Regency period

Longbourn by Jo Baker



Longbourn is the name of the house of the Bennet family, the same Bennets from Pride and Prejudice. This story is about the servants of the house and it is beautifully interwoven with the classic novel with the Bennets as background characters.

Sarah is a housemaid who was brought here from the children's home. She has been taken under the wing of Mrs Hill, the housekeeper. Old Mr Hill drives the coach but is getting on, so when a young man, by the name of James, shows up. The neighbouring property is also newly occupied, resulting in social opportunities (love interests) for Sarah.

James is not completely as he seems, and Sarah is determined to find out what his story is.

The story flows nicely. It is a bit strange when the narrator changes to Mrs Hill, and then to James, but I guess it was probably the best way to get their back stories in. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Frog Music by Emma Donoghue



I got this book as a birthday present in August this year. It is set in San Francisco in 1876 and is the story of Blanche, an immigrant from France. Blanche was in the circus in France and she has come to America with her lover Arthur and his trapeze partner Ernest. The three live together in Blanche's building.

One day Blanche gets hit by a "high wheeler" (I'm thinking penny farthing bike) and manages to befriend the cyclist, Jenny Bonnet. This becomes a turning point in Blanche's life. Jenny asks questions of Blanche, tough ones, that Blanche has never questioned herself. This brings about big changes in Blanche's life. Jenny is a true historical figure from these times with quite an interesting background and arrest history.

The book opens with Jenny getting shot in some place in the outskirts of the city. A large part of the book is dedicated to working out who has committed this terrible crime.

The description of the times and location are beautifully done. The author has definitely researched this book very well.

Book of the month of December

The Petticoat Men by Barbara Ewing

My best reads for the year:

JANUARY - The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier

FEBRUARY - 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

MARCH - The Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye

APRIL - The House Girl by Tara Conklin

MAY - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

JUNE - Hannibal: Clouds of War by Ben Kane

JULY - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

AUGUST - The Circus of Ghosts by Barbara Ewing

SEPTEMBER - The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

OCTOBER - The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson

NOVEMBER - Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

The 2014 5 STAR book award goes to…..

The Last Runaway by Tracey Chevalier

12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson



My best read for 2014

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

2014 has been a good year for me. I read 65 books, two more than my target. I am really happy with this, especially as one of those books was a whopping 1600 pages so it really could be 4 of my average sized reads.

I managed 19 books from my bookshelf and 21 from my ebookshelf. The remaining 25 were from my fantastic local library service.

Great reviews for Longbourn and Frog Music - both are books i am hoping to get around to reading at some point. Congratulations on reading beyond your target!

Congratulations on a great reading year!

>67 lkernagh: & >68 LittleTaiko: thanks guys.

Now the year is over it's time to farewell 2014.

I'm moving on to my shiny new 2015 thread now. See you there :-)